No Life Queen
by Chaos Lord
Summary: The Freaks have come to Japan and a certain Vampire has come to fight them. In the dark alleys of Tokyo, Japan's brightest light finally sees her shadow. And the past returns to make mischief for all.
1. Birth

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Prologue - Birth

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In a ward of the great metropolis known as Tokyo there stood a man. He was rather tall, in fact his seven feet of height made him tower over the rather short people that inhabited this island. His long red coat, ascot, and hat spoke of some 19th century European upper class. This appearance was backed by his pale complexion and complete lack of Mongoloid features. The yellow-lensed sunglasses that the man wore were odd given that the Sun had set several hours ago. In general this man gave off a rather unpleasant vibe, like he was the kind of person who did not suffer fools lightly and fools were all he saw.

This man was the vampire Alucard. And tonight he was hunting. Now what, you may ask, was he hunting? Perhaps some virgin woman whose blood he could drain? No. On this night Alucard's pray was not some girl but a vampire. This vampire though was not one that garnered any respect from Alucard. This vampire was a freak.

After the events of two years ago the makers of the freak-chipped vampires went underground. It was thought by some that the freak menace was done and gone but there was one that knew that it was far from over. That person was Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. After being released from her incarceration by the British Government Integra made the mission of her organization to hunt down the manufactures of these freak-chipped vampires wherever they may be. Hellsing's investigation pointed to Japan, and more precisely Tokyo, as where these heathens went. So, with the permission of the Japanese government, Integra temporarily moved the Hellsing Organization to Japan. Though they were charged with the protection of Britain, Integra felt that Britain was best served by the complete destruction of these freak vampires and their masters.

That was why Alucard was standing atop a building in Tokyo. He had been given greater leave by his master in his pursuit of the vampires and as such he decided to torture this one. Not with knives or guns but with fear. This poser vampire dared to exist and that thought sickened Alucard. As such he has been chasing and taunting his target for the last five miles. But as he began to grow weary of chasing a vampire with no means of fighting back Alucard, with his keen vision, saw that his query ducked into an alley but not before grabbing a young woman, probably to feast on. Knowing that this could not be allowed, he could have his fun but endangering the natives was out of the question, Alucard sighed and disappeared into a shadow.

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Hiroshi Diajobi had never been more scared in his life, both living and dead. He had been warned about Hellsing, the vampire killers, and their pet vampire Alucard. Warned that if he went out of control and started sucking people dry left and right it would draw their attention. Did he listen? Hell no! He was a vampire and therefore above all others, especially humans. As soon as he was turned Hiroshi gave into the bloodlust that he gained. It was such a glorious feeling. Sinking his teeth into some bitch's neck. Hearing her squeal like the pig she was. All of it made his blood boil and his hunger grow.

But now? As he ran down the streets of Tokyo in fear for his life, he wished he had paid closer attention to those who had turned him. It had started off so well, the woman he had tonight was especially gorgeous and as he sucked her dry it looked like, to the outsider, as if this was some couple. The woman's look thought to be one of ecstasy rather than what it was. But before he could drain her completely and put her on the path to ghoulhood he heard the laughter. It came from all around him, from every shadow. With the laughter were voices, whispers really, but they belonged to the same person. Hiroshi looked out in fear and demanded that the source of the hateful voices show itself. Oh, how he wished he could undo that. For the source of the voices did show itself, he walked right out of a shadow. Hellsing's chief assassin, the vampire Alucard. When Hiroshi saw the giant he did the smart thing, he ran. And run he did, he ran for miles. Every so often he would stop to catch his breath and hope that he had lost his pursuer. That hope was in vain as the laughter would start anew, or bats would appear to tear at his flesh, and even worse the horrible red eyes that opened in all the shadows. So he ran on, his strength leaving him with every step. Finally luck smiled down upon him in the form of an empty alley with a young vibrant woman in front of it. As he pulled her into the alley Hiroshi figured one of two things would happen; either the Hellsing puppet would find the two, in which case the human could make an excellent hostage, or the bitch's succulent blood would revitalize him. Either way it was a win-win situation in his book.

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As he walked out of the shadows and into the alley Alucard's witty retort was knocked from his lips as he felt a wave of energy pass over him. Never in his life had he felt such power. It was so strong that it made his blood boil, he had to have it. Using his enhanced senses Alucard was shocked to see that the energy was emanating from the girl with the oddly-shaped blonde hair. She also had something that was rare, potential. The kind of potential she had was the same as Seras Victoria, the ability to become a true Nosferatu. As Alucard looked at the freak vampire he knew what he would do, he would do much the same as he did when Police Girl was in a similar situation. "All of you freaks are the same, disappointing. Look at you," he said as he pointed to the young woman, " hiding behind a human. Do you think she will protect you from your fate?"

"Damn right I do," Hiroshi spat back as he tightened his grip on his hostage. "I know all about you. You're that Hellsing bitch's lap dog. The great an mighty Alucard the vampire that doesn't kill humans."

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As Hiroshi talked Alucard reached out with his mind to the young woman. "Girl." The young woman's tear-filled yet resolute blue eyes widened but she did not openly acknowledge Alucard's addressing of her. Instead a hesitant, "Yes," echoed through his mind. "You realize that you will not leave this encounter alive." The tears that increased their flow were answer enough for Alucard. "When I shoot the vampire the bullet will go through your chest before striking his heart. You have a choice; either you die of blood loss or you can come with me. The choice is yours, but make it now."

The woman stood a little straighter, "Do it," she sent.

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When Hiroshi stopped talking Alucard withdrew his gun and pointed it at the freak's chest. "Obviously you don't know me that well." With that he fired his gun at the freak. As the bullet impacted with the two people the young woman's eyes widened in shock at the pain. Hiroshi screamed out in agony as his body turned to dust. Alucard paid the vampire's screams little heed as he strolled over to the bleeding body of the young woman. Though he had done this before, this was the first time that Alucard actually licked his lips in anticipation. He knelt down and picked up the young girl as darkness enshrouded the pair.

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Authors Notes: Well there you have it, the prologue to my latest tale The No Life Queen. This is a cross over between Hellsing and another series, I left some clues to what that other series is it is up to you to find out for yourselves. As for the Hellsing portion of this tale I will be primarily using the wonderful anime produced by Gonzo. Now I know many Hellsing fans hate the anime because it is not true to the manga and had I read to manga first I might agree. But I saw the anime first and am only now reading the manga thanks to Dark Horse.

This is the third story that I've worked on and I will probably focus on it more than Converging Paths. This is because I have a firmer idea of the plot and so the writing should go quicker.

This story also marks the second appearance of Hiroshi Diajobi. Look out for him in Converging Paths as well.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I. Look foreword to more chapters in the coming months..

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	2. In the brightest light there is always d...

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 1 - In the brightest light there is always darkness

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As she walked down the dark streets of Juban ward Usagi Tsukino was in a state of bliss. She had just come from her beloved Mamoru's apartment where they had just engaged in some loving cuddling. Though the couple had been together for four years Usagi had remained resolute in her decision to wait until they were married to engage in any bedroom acrobatics. Looking down at the ring that now adorned her finger she realized that day was sooner rather than later. Her eyes jumped from the diamond ring to her chest, which had increased greatly since she had first met her fiancé those four years ago. All those years, despite the trials and battles, had been good to her. The clumsiness that had plagued her in the early days was gone and was replaced with a subtle grace that drew the eye of many a man. In that time her control over the power that was her birthright was increasing by leaps and bounds. Things that would have nearly killed her four years ago she can now do with the greatest of ease. Such was her preoccupation with other things that she never noticed the man running towards her.

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In a place beyond places, beyond time, there stood an ever-vigilant protector. A guardian of time who watched as her people rose to unimaginable heights only to be crushed down. Though she wanted to go back and prevent that horrible event from happening she could not. She had to uphold the vow she made to both her queen and to the universe itself. Her vow was a simple one, ensure that the future is left in the hands of the people so they may shape it themselves. Had she known the terrible burden that such a vow would place upon her she would never had excepted the position.

Today was one of those days. The kind that made her want to throw it all away. The reason for her despair, human free will. Usagi, her future queen's destiny would split in twain. In one future Usagi Tsukino allowed her new fiancé to drive her home. While there would be some adversity and strife this future would lead to the grand future of Crystal Tokyo. The other future, the one she was witnessing at this moment, Usagi decided to walk home. This future was not known to her, her future self was actively working to prevent her from seeing any distance down the path they were all now on. All her future self would say was that Usagi would be undergoing an immense change and if Setsuna wanted a bright tomorrow she would have to support her queen 100.

Setsuna had no idea what she was talking about and she didn't like it. But there was one thing she did know for sure, no matter what happens she will stand with Usagi. The young queen's path had never faltered Setsuna doubted it would now.

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As some man held her firmly by the neck Usagi could not help but feel a measure of fear. She had a good idea to what was going to happen, she was about to be raped. With the man's hold on her neck as a constant reminder of the situation she was in, Usagi tried to think of a way out. Unfortunately her transformation broach and communicator were in her purse, which the man had ripped off when he grabbed her. As she tried desperately to find a way out of this she saw, to her shock, a man walk out of a shadow on the wall. She had seen others do things similar in the past and wasn't too horribly surprised. What did get her though was her captor yelling at this giant of a man. The man did not utter a single comment to either refute or agree with what her captor was saying instead Usagi heard a voice in her mind.

"Girl."

It was simple strong and Usagi knew that it came from the man in the red coat. Even though she had witnessed instances of telepathy having it actually happen to her was a little shocking. "Yes," she questioningly sent back.

"You realize that you will not leave this encounter alive."

At hearing that her worst fear was going to come to pass the slight trickling of fear-induced tears increased to a steady flow. Thoughts passed through her mind of all the things that she will miss out because of this encounter. But she need not answer as she heard the man's voice once more.

"When I shoot the vampire the bullet will go through your chest before striking his heart. You have a choice; either you die of blood loss or you can come with me. The choice is yours, but make it now."

There was only one thing that the man could mean was that she would leave as one of them, a member of the undead. She would have to become a vampire. Of course even the idea that she might become something like that sent chills down Usagi's spine. There was one thing that she knew though, if the future of Crystal Tokyo shall come to pass then she had to be there, no matter her form, to be its queen. If she had to become that which she battled against then so be it. She stood up to her full height and sent. "Do it."

As the bullet passed through her chest Usagi felt a pain unimaginable to most. She had been killed in a myriad of ways over the years, but by far this was the worst. Some say that having your love leave you is like being shot in the chest, and in fact she had said that on several of the occasions that Mamoru had dumped her. Now that that she was actually experiencing the true sensation she realized that the two pains were nothing alike.

The pain that Usagi felt was so intense that she never noticed the death screams of the man that held her hostage. But as her savior/murderer stood over her bleeding body Usagi pushed away the pain to look at the man. As he stood over her she saw him lick his lips, an action that caused her shudder. Usagi realized that the blood loss must be worst than she had originally thought, as in one instant he was standing above her and in the next he was cradling her in his arms, all this could mean was that she was slipping in and out of consciousness. With the man's face next to her's Usagi heard the man say, "Remember, this was your choice," and then all went dark as she felt his teeth sink into her neck.

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Naru Osaka had never felt such bliss in her entire life. Tonight was the most magical night ever and it was all thanks to her wonderful fiancé that was working with some extra, "Oh yes," gusto to give her the ultimate pleasure.

Let's backtrack a few hours.

The night started in Naru's bedroom. As the young woman scurried around her room she entertained thoughts of the night that her beloved Umino Gurio might have in store for her. Tonight was their four year anniversary and Umino had promised that he would make their date spectacular. He had never not come through when he made a promise so Naru knew that whatever her beau had in mind it would knock her socks off. So, the problem she was having was one known to females all over the world, what was she going to wear. On this front Umino was not very helpful, he said that she should dress formally but comfortably. This led her to believe that they might go somewhere nice but then somewhere that an overly formal dress might not be good. Now Naru couldn't be seen as she was in her closet while different articles of apparel flew out accompanied by various grunts of disgust

Watching this with a rather large smile was Naru's mother, Hoseki Osaka. For years she had watched her little grow into the beautiful young woman that she was now and she could not be prouder. Naru had, at a relatively young age, a relationship with a boy for what was now four years. Something that she seemed incapable of doing herself. So happy was she with Naru and Umino's relationship that she chipped in when she was able. Tonight she had an idea what Umino had in mind for her daughter and she couldn't be happier. Several weeks ago the young man had come to her shop and bought an engagement ring. Knowing that the ring was meant for her daughter's finger, Hoseki gave it to Umino at cost. At first he had declined saying that he had the necessary funds to pay the full price, but she would not budge and the ring was sold.

As if he was summoned by her thoughts the front bell rang, which earned a squeak from Naru. Hoseki held her hand out, "Don't worry, you get ready and I'll stall Umino." With that she headed downstairs, all the while she could hear even louder rustling originating from Naru's bedroom. Upon reaching the front door she smiled at seeing the young man in question look as nervous, if not more so, than his date. Hoping to ease the young man's obvious distress she asked, "So, do you have everything for tonight?"

Umino jumped at the question and then weakly laughed. "Yes ma'am," he said as he patted his pocket. "I just hope that it won't be in my pocket by the time I get Naru back."

Hoseki stood to her full height and crossed her arms under her breasts, "And what time will that be young man," she asked in an accusing tone. Inside though she was smiling widely, if there was one thing that she really loved, it was the occasional mind-screw.

Umino was terrified, "Um ten o'clock?" He hoped beyond hope that this was this answer was one that would be satisfactory. Though he really liked Naru's mom he was somewhat intimidated by her. After all she could forbid Naru form seeing him. Luckily his stress was lessened a little when Miss Osaka began to laugh, though his confusion did skyrocket.

"Oh Umino, don't worry about that." She then pulled Umino close to her, "Listen, you and Naru love each other very deeply. I trust you both, but I also know my daughter. In many ways she is like I am, you should know that when you give that to her she will be VERY appreciative. So when she drags you off try steering her here." Before Umino could issue a protest Hoseki continued, "Don't worry about me, I'll be visiting my mother and I might just miss the train back," she said with a conspiratory grin.

To say that Umino was floored would be an understatement. Here was the mother of the girl he was dating and she was giving him the o.k. to have sex with her daughter. "But, why?"

Hoseki pulled away and laughed at the look on the young man's face. "Oh Umino, you make my daughter happy. For that I am eternally grateful, and anyway it's like you are part of the family. What with you spending so much time over here."

Naru was coming down the stairs when she heard that, "Mother! Don't pick on him."

Hoseki turned to her daughter and pouted, "But Naru dear, it is oh so much fun. You wouldn't want to ruin your poor mother's fun would you?"

Naru placed her hands on her hips, "I do when you're picking on my Umino."

During the entire exchange Umino stood in awe at Naru's beauty. Normally Naru liked to dress rather plainly, as she did not want to flaunt the prosperity a jewelry store offered. Today she looked like every bit the lady he knew she was. Her outfit showed little skin, her blouse was long-sleeved and she had all but he top button fastened. It was what she was wearing over the blouse that really caught Umino's eye, a vest that was rather low and with all the buttons done it greatly emphasized her already impressive bust line. Instead of a skirt, which was something that she wore often, Naru had on a pair of dress pants that showed off her well toned legs yet at the same time they were loose enough to conceal a great deal. All in all Naru was drop-dead gorgeous.

Naru was much the same state as her date. Though Umino was, what many considered, a geek he was also blessed with some very good genes. His face, which had been covered by his thick glasses, was clean-shaven and very handsome. A fact that seems rather odd when you look at pictures of him younger. His clothes were rather sophisticated, he wore a blue button-up shirt. Over which he had a black vest that was left open. As she looked at the vest Naru could see a hint of silver, probably coming off the pocket watch that she had given him. Umino had his shirt tucked into a pair of black dress pants. The whole outfit was completed by the gray-blue trench coat that he wore. She knew that the coat had two purposes; one was to hide his lean muscular physic, the other was because Umino liked it when the wind caught the coat, it made him feel like he had a cape. With her inspection of his attire completed, Naru looked to Umino's eyes. As she stared into those deep brown orbs Naru felt he love he had for her, she also mentally thanked her mother for forking over the money so he could have laser surgery.

Though the sight of the two love birds staring at each other was very romantic Hoseki felt that they had been like that long enough. So she held her hand up to her mouth and coughed. That was more than enough to break the spell and the two teenagers looked away with blushes adorning their cheeks.

Umino was the fist to speak, "Um, you look really nice Naru."

Having a harder time saying anything Naru walked foreword and kissed Umino on the cheek. She then held his arm and, finding strength in the embrace, whispered, "You don't look so bad yourself."

With his date by his side Umino waved to Miss Osaka, "Well we're off."

Hoseki smiled wide, "You two have fun." She then walked up to hug her little girl, because the next time she saw Naru the young woman will have taken a big step away from her.

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After saying goodbye to her mother Naru and Umino left for the first destination on tonight's agenda. As they walked the couple spoke little, instead the opted for quiet thought. Naru was using the time to marvel at the feel of Umino's arm. To those who knew him only at school Umino was a first class geek. He would talk about the latest science fiction movie he saw or go on about how cool the latest anime convention he attended was. But that was at school, there was a side of Umino that few saw, he was a protector. It was buried deep under all the superhero worship, and in fact it was Juban's local heroes, the Sailor Senshi, that brought that side of him to light. After all the youma attacks that he had been either witness to, or worse a part of, Umino decided that he needed some sort of training. It was his hope that if he was more fit and maybe knew a martial art or two he might be able to get innocents to safety. The Sailor Senshi might beat the monster but they sure due take their time. Using the same drive that he used to ferret out information, Umino worked on his goal and in the process got himself the kind of body that women want. Since she started dating him before he became all buff Umino's appearance mattered little to Naru, but she did like the fact that she had a wolf in geeks clothing.

Naru was so caught up in he thoughts that it took her several seconds to realize that they had stopped walking. As she took in her surroundings Naru was quite shocked, she was standing in front of the place she had wanted to visit for months, Caritas. According to her friends at school Caritas was both a great place to eat and get some culture. Naru turned her head to look at Umino and saw that he was smiling at her. "Why?"

"I knew that you've been wanting to go here for a while. So, here we are."

Naru squeezed Umino's arm all that tighter, "Thank you." Then with a big grin on her face Naru dragged Umino inside.

For the next one and a half-hours the young couple ate, talked, and listened to the creativity of those who performed. The whole time Umino had a smile on his face at the happiness Naru was showing. It was almost a shame that they had to go but they did and as such he gently took hold of her hand. She turned her head from watching the most recent performance and looked to her boyfriend. "Sorry honey, but we've got to leave." Seeing that she was going to issue a protest he raised a finger to her lips, "There are other things that I have planed for tonight. Believe me, you are not going to want to miss them." Naru acquiesced and the couple left Caritas arm-in-arm.

From Caritas Umino led his date to the next place on his itinerary, the fair. Even though fairs were a haven for monster attacks there hadn't been any in several months and Umino felt it was safe to go. He also knew that despite the dangers, Naru loved to go to fairs. After paying for the tickets Naru pulled Umino along towards the various booths and rides. Though he let himself be pulled along Umino also guided where Naru was going to a certain degree. About thirty minutes after arriving the couple was near the lake and Umino knew that this was his opportunity. Squeezing Naru's hand he asked, "Hey, let's rent a boat."

Naru was happy that Umino had suggested this, her feet had been getting tired from all the walking and she wanted to sit down. "Sure! That sounds great." They walked over to the pier and Umino rented a boat. Several minutes later Umino had finished rowing their small boat to the middle of the lake. Within a minute of Umino stopping rowing the night sky lit up in a display of multicolored light.

As the fireworks burst in the sky Umino looked, not at the light but at Naru's face. It was filled with wonder and her eyes shown with happiness. He knew that this was the moment that he was waiting for and pulled out the box he had in his pocket. His movement caught Naru's attention and she pulled her gaze from the fireworks to the small black box he held. Instantly Umino saw that Naru's eyes lit up in pure unwavering joy.

There had been times in her life where Naru thought that she had experienced joy, but now she knew that those times were just poor copies of the real thing. As she looked down at the simple black box that her love held all she wanted to do was scream out, "YES!" But when Umino opened the box her voice left her and all she was able to do was utter a small gasp. The ring was one that had been in her mother's store for the last several years, this in itself was a little odd seeing as most of her stock was quickly purchased. When she had first seen it she had imagined what it would be like to have on her finger but she knew that someone would buy it. But no-one did, sometimes people would come in and try to buy it and something would happen to make sure that they could not. She had began to hope that the ring might be meant for her but then, several weeks ago the ring was purchased and her hopes died. Only to be rekindled as it now sat in the box before her. The ring itself was a band of Gold and Silver woven around dark blue Sapphires, at its center was a blood-red Ruby that was in the shape of a heart. The stone were rather small but Naru knew well how much the ring before her cost. Before she could utter any type of protest at the ring's value Umino took the ring and placed it on her finger.

As to cool metal came to rest on its new home, Naru's eyes met those of Umino and, after staring for a good minute, he said, "Naru. We have been together through ordeals that would try most people's sanity and yet we had stayed together through it all. You been my rock when times where tough my light when all looked black. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you in it. So, Naru Osaka, will you marry me?" The answer to his question was Naru hurling herself at him while covering his face with kisses as she pressed herself close. When he felt her begin to unbutton his shirt he reluctantly pushed her away.

As she sat back on her side of the boat Naru wondered what had come over her. Normally she was not so aggressive, especially on a small boat in the middle of the lake, today though she felt different. As Umino rowed to shore Naru tried to hold herself back, after all it would not be a good idea to tip the boat. Once they were back on shore she wrapped her arm around his waist and made sure that a good deal of her body was touching his. Standing on her toes, Naru huskily whispered into Umino's ear, "Why don't we got somewhere a little more private."

The combination of the tone Naru was using and her breath on his ear left Umino rather hot under the collar. "Gulp, um ok." With that he began walking back to Naru's place. As they walked Umino thought in shock that Hoseki was right. Though he had a hard time believing it, Naru usually didn't act like this. A part of him was jumping for joy that he was finally going to get some. Another part, the one that loved Naru, was disturbed by her actions. While he did want to make love to her he id not want to be with some over-sexed pod person version of her.

While Umino was wondering what the right thing to do was Naru was trying to keep herself under control. This was complicated by the fact that she never felt urges this strong. Sure, after most of their recent dates she had to relive some pressure afterwards but that was to be expected. Now though, her body was suffused with heat, her skin craved his touch, and her soul yearned to become one with his. Occasionally her control slipped and this led to her hands into some of Umino's rather personal spaces. Finally they came to a halt and Naru saw where Umino had been leading them, her home. She gave a little whimper of disappointment. As she gripped his arm like a vice Naru looked up at him, "Please . Don't leave me here alone."

Umino brought his hand up to Naru's face and cupped her cheek, an action that sent a shudder through her body. "I wouldn't dream of that."

"But my mother."

"Isn't here." Seeing her look of confusion Umino explained, "She knew that you would want to do this and went to her mother's house. Think of it as an engagement gift." He then looked at her with a grin, "Are you going to release your grip on me and open the door."

At that she jumped in shock, "Oh!" Immediately Naru had released Umino and was digging through her purse with shaking hands. Shy quickly found her keys but her hands where shaking so bad that she couldn't get them in the lock. Luckily Umino's hand reached out and steadied her own. With the door opened Naru made a mad dash towards her room, and in the process left Umino behind.

Umino chuckled at his fiancé's antics as he closed and locked the door. Though his exterior was Mr. Cool inside he was sweating bullets. The one thing that had held him back, Naru's possible possession, was now gone. After all, a sex crazed pod person wouldn't be so nervous opening a door. With that impediment gone Umino's worry turned to the same place that so many men's minds had gone, when the time came would he be able to deliver. When he got to Naru's room he saw that she had already removed her vest but was now struggling with the buttons on her blouse. Umino knew this was not what she wanted, she had said once that she wanted their first time to be a magical experience. He doubted that mad, fast paced rutting would constitute magical in her book. So he walked forward and preceded to make this night everything that Naru dreamt.

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Now on with the story

If Umino had been able to read Naru's mind he would have found that he had succeeded. She was so glad that he had come in and taken charge like he had. When she had thought about the kind of experience she would have when she first made love she pictured magic and happiness. Unfortunately several of her friends had already experienced the wonders of sex and told her that their first times had been anything but magical, instead they were brief and painful. Luckily for her Umino some how knew what he was doing and had pleasured her for almost an hour before indulging in his own desires. Now, as Umino filled her body and soul, she reflected that there was little pain at their joining and that quickly went away under the intense waves of pleasure she was experiencing. When he entered they quickly fell into a pattern. Since he had worked her over so well up to that point she was quickly heading for the highest peak so far. From the way Umino was moving she guessed that he was as close as she was. It didn't take long and when it came so did she. As she experience the ultimate in pleasure she felt herself becoming one with her love, it was a truly transcendent experience. In fact it was so wonderful that all she could see was bright white light.

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Usagi was roused from her slumber in the only way that made her want to kill someone, people talking. As far as she was concerned the people who did that should be turned into the same dust as all those youma she has killed. The only thing that kept her from moving around and groaning was that she did not recognize the voices. So, in order to find out what was going on she kept her eyes closed and pretended to be asleep.

"Alucard, must you keep on doing this? First it was Seras Victoria now this young woman, why is it every woman you save ends up as an undead?" The voice had a strong British accident and belonged to a woman.

The next voice that Usagi heard was the man from the alley, she now realized that the man's name was Alucard. "I don't know if she is an undead. She lacks the taint."

Usagi heard a gasp then the sound on hands slamming down on a desk. That was so loud and unexpected that Usagi jumped. She hoped that no-one noticed, unfortunately that hope was not answered. She heard Alucard's voice and it was clearly addressed at her.

"Perhaps the girl would like to hear this as well." Alucard's voice had a definite undercurrent of mirth in it.

Knowing that the jig was up Usagi opened her eyes and saw that she was in a large office. It was very modern but at the same time spartan. The only decoration was a large painting on one wall. The painting was of an older gentleman with blonde hair. Across the room from where she lay was Alucard and a blonde woman who was standing behind an antique desk. Though the woman looked both shocked and disgusted, Alucard's expression was unreadable. Yet, for some reason that was unexplainable to her, Usagi felt that she was being judged and her actions over the next few minutes would determine how this man viewed her. She vowed to make sure that his judgment was a good one.

Though in her early days she had spurned the advice of her guardians, in the years after Galaxia Usagi learned a great many things. One of these things was how to maintain her cool, something that took Setsuna a long time to ingrain in her. So, hiding her worry and unease as best she could Usagi stood and greeted her hosts. "I believe that introductions are in order. My name is Usagi Tsukino."

Immediately the blonde woman stood straight and schooled her features, obviously showing that she too had been trained in etiquette. "My name is Integra Wingates Hellsing." She then gestured to the tall man across the desk from her, "This is my . . . associate, Alucard." In response to Integra's introduction Alucard gave a curt bow of his head. "I suppose you are wondering why you are here?"

Usagi shrugged her shoulders, "Well since Alucard is here I guess what happened in the alley was not some bad dream." She then ran her tongue across her teeth and she found what she had expected, fangs. "As it seems that I now possess fangs it seems like I am a vampire."

Integra was impressed that the girl seemed unfazed by the realization that she was now a member of the undead. She hoped that Miss Tsukino would be less of a hassle that Seras Victoria was when she was turned. "Yes, it would seem so. Though it appears Alucard has something different to say on this subject," she said as she arched an eyebrow at her vampiric servant.

Usagi looked at Alucard expectantly, "You said that I didn't have the taint. What is that?"

Though he did not normally aqueous to such questions Alucard felt that Usagi had handled herself and her situation quite well up to this point. Releasing a little information to the girl would do no harm, besides he felt he owed her. Because she had gotten captured he was able to partake of her blood, an experience that was most unique. "Long ago there was a cult who drank people's blood. Eventually their leader made a deal with the devil and he along with his followers became the first vampires. Though the leader sold his soul his followers were also effected negatively. They gained what became known as the taint, they lost their connection to God and thus became vulnerable to many things. Silver, holy water, anything blessed by a holy man, all of these became items that could injure them. In some extreme cases even the light of the Sun became deadly instead of the irritant it is to most vampires." He then pointed at Usagi, "You lack the taint and as such everything that harms normal vampires you are immune to. Though why it is I do not know."

Immediately an explanation popped into Usagi's mind but she did not know whether or not to tell them. She then realized that they had placed all their cards on the table and it was only right for her to do so as well. "I might know why I am different."

Integra, who had sat in her chair while Alucard talked, leaned forward and placed her elbows on the desk. "Enlighten us."

"I'm Sailor Moon."

Integra raised an eyebrow at that. As part of the information the Japanese government gave to her there were several folders with information concerning Tokyo's resident demon hunters, the Sailor Senshi. Apparently they have been in many battles against the forces of darkness and in doing so have saved a great many lives. And if the files were correct the Hellsing Organization has had a number of prior encounters with one of the Senshi, Sailor Venus or as she appeared in England Sailor V. If this young woman was to believed then she was the leader of this band of heroes. The file also dictated some of the powers that the Senshi had exhibited over the years but she did not think that they would be able to not be adversely affected by the vampire's curse. "I fail to see how you being Sailor Moon would matter. That is if you are who you say you are."

Another thing that changed after Galaxia was that Usagi took a more active interest in being a Senshi. As such she made sure that that both her and her Senshi were as well trained as possible. One of the things that benefited from this training was that they no longer needed to call out her transformation phrase. With a little bit of mental focus Usagi made her broach appear chest and triggered her transformation. In an instant she was surrounded by a flash of multicolored light that left as soon as it appeared. When the light faded Usagi was once more Sailor Moon. She only stayed that way long enough to make sure that everyone in the room had gotten a good look at her and then she returned to her normal form. "I do hope that is enough proof for you. As for why I think it has to do with why I'm Sailor Moon." She then sighed, though she knew that she had to tell this she really hated to. The first time was not so bad but after a while it gets old. "Long ago there was a kingdom that was made up of every planet in the solar system. The kingdom was in a period of peace and prosperity called the Silver Millennium. The queen, Serenity, had a daughter also named the same. The kingdom was guarded the princesses of eight of the planets, only Earth did not have one of these guardians. Eventually the younger Serenity fell in love with a prince from Earth. Unfortunately a member of the Earth royal family was so jealous of their love that she sided with a dark god and raised an army to crush those who she felt wronged her. She attacked the Moon and in the process managed to kill the prince, the princess, and the guardians. Queen Serenity used a powerful weapon to banish the evil woman and her army. With the last of her strength she used what was left of her powerful to send those who had died to the future so that they could live again. I am the reincarnation of that princess and the rest of the Sailor Senshi are the guardians reborn."

Alucard was not sure what to think. On one hand his newest convert was a superhero in a ridiculous outfit who was the reincarnation of a princess of some lovey dovey peace kingdom. On the other hand she was a strong willed individual who had seen her share of pain and death yet come through with her purity intact. He had seen that much in her mind as she talked. What he did not understand was what that had to do with the tale, her surface thought did not give him any hints.

For her part Integra was not impressed. From what she had read about the Sailor Senshi they had little concept of the gray area that the world lived in. They seemed to be factionalized and there were those among the Senshi's rank that were rather reckless with their actions, caring little for civilians. That they were from some magical kingdom where everything was happy and good did little to ease her mind. It was her opinion that people who fought for good with the methodology that the Senshi had were never a good thing and had the tendency to become fanatics. What really irritated her was that in telling her story Usagi did not answer the question at hand. "That is very interesting but how does that have any bearing on why you do not poses the taint Alucard was speaking of?"

Usagi took Integra's icy voice in stride, "My reincarnation is not just a spiritual one. When Queen Serenity sent us forward she reincarnated both our bodies and to a limited extent our minds. Though we are not effected by our old personalities we do occasionally get memories of events and other things from that other life. One of the things that I've remember is something my instructors told me about the Serenity line. Apparently the Serenitys are descended from either God or a God. It's probably that that kept me the way I was."

Wanting to change the subject looked Integra in the eyes, "Well, what do I do now?" It seemed as if they were not going to kill her but she wanted to know if her hosts had any plans for her.

Integra sat back, at last a subject that she had control of, "Currently we are in Japan hunting the manufacturing of artificial vampires, dubbed Freaks. These Freaks lack the social rules of traditional vampires and are plagues upon mankind. Originally these Freaks were in England but after certain events two years ago they moved their operations here. Japan is a country with no major religious backing and the Freak manufactures came here to exploit that. As such we followed them here and at the behest of the Japanese government we will finally stop these blasphemous heathens. As for you, Usagi Tsukino, you have two choices. The first option is that we leave you alone. One of my subordinates will show you all you need to live as a vampire. Option two is that you can work in tandem with the Hellsing organization in order to see these monsters destroyed."

Usagi knew what she had to do. These Freaks were a threat to everyone in Japan. There was no way that she or her Senshi could let such a threat remain. "I'll help you fight these people."

Integra smiled internally, "Good, I thought you might." She then pressed a button on her intercom. Several seconds later the door to the office opened and an older gentleman walked in.

The man, in his dark vest button up shirt and dark pants, placed a white-gloved hand over heart and bowed, "Yes Sir Integra?"

"Walter. Please escort Miss Tsukino to Seras Victoria. Have Seras explain to Miss Tsukino how to be a vampire in these times." She then turned to Usagi, "If you will follow Walter he will show you the way."

Walter once more bowed, "Of course Sir Integra." He then turned sideways and held his arm out. "Shall we be on our way?"

Usagi looked to Integra, "Thank you for your generosity." She then turned and followed Walter out of the office.

Alucard stood and watched the door close. Once it was, he addressed Integra though he did not turn away. "You did not threaten her." Though it was a statement it was also a question.

"To the people of Japan Sailor Moon is an icon. You know as well as I that the Japanese government have cameras all over, if they saw that we had even suggested that we kill her then our search for the Freaks would be canceled. Therefore it is in our best interest that we have both her and the government on our side."

ooooooooo

It only took Naru a moment to realize that the light she was seeing was not that of orgasmic transcendence but actual light. When the light vanished she found herself in a great hall of stone. Though the entire place felt as if it were deep beneath some mountain, Naru could see grass and trees off in side chambers. She then looked down at herself, fearing that she was naked and sweaty. Luckily she was neither, instead she seemed to be fully cleaned and in the outfit she wore on her date. It was then that she noticed that Umino was next to her, checking himself and his surroundings as well. "Where are we?" It was a simple question, bereft of the fear she knew she should be feeling.

Umino looked over at who spoke and saw that it was Naru. This brought him up short because he hadn't noticed her before. Realizing that she had asked a question he replied, "I have no idea."

Then, a voice that Umino and Naru knew well spoke to them. "You are in my home." From out of one of the forested side areas stepped Hoseki Osaka. She was wearing a rather odd, for her, outfit. Hoseki wore a plaid shirt under a pair of overalls while a straw hat adorned her head. In one hand she was carrying a simple watering can. "Well technically, this place really doesn't exist. But for our purposes let's say that it does," she said with a smile.

Naru was in shock, her mother had never wore anything like that before. Sure, when she worked around the house Hoseki would wear jeans. But the farmer Fran outfit? Never. "Mom, what are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that?"

As she neared the couple Hoseki pulled off her hat then dropped both it and the watering can. The instant they left her grasp the two items disappeared. "First of all my child, I am not your mother. I possess this form because your mind supplied it in response to the word, mother." She then looked at Umino, "As for why I appear to be dressed as I am, well you have your other to thank for that. This is what his mind supplied in response to the phrase, keeper of the earth."

"If you aren't my mother then who are you."

"Ask your other, he knows," the woman replied as she stared into Umino's eyes.

"You're nature," Umino said confidently.

The woman gave a light laugh at that, "Close, and yet so far off." She then gestured and from the ground grew vines. They twisted a pulled together as they grew until they had formed three green chairs. As she sat down, the woman gestured to the newly grown furniture. "Please, have a seat."

Umino wearily sat in the chair, he had seen too many evil people wield power like that to be instantly trusting. To his shock the chair was quite soft and it molded itself to him.

As if she were sensing his unease the woman addressed him, "You have nothing to fear from me my child. No harm shall befall you here." That said the woman addressed both Naru and Umino, "My name is Terra. I am the soul of the planet you are on."

"You're Earth," the couple asked.

Terra nodded her head, "That is correct. Everything you see around you is an astral projection, that is why appear as I do. Had you worshipped me as a goddess I would have appeared to you in that likeness." Leaning back in her chair she waved her hand and from the stone floor grew a table with cups and a crystal water pitcher. Taking hold of the pitcher, Terra poured water into the three stone cups. She then preceded to hand a cup to both Naru and Umino.

Cup in hand Terra began talking, "You must be wondering why you are here. Well, I have a proposition for you. Mind you, you always have the option of saying no. But should one or their other do such, they are in effect saying no for both. So think carefully before making you decision. Before I make my offer there is information you should know.

Long ago man began to take its first faltering steps into the unknown. As they visited the various planets of the Solar System they found them to be barren, lifeless. So humanity tried to make these other worlds in my image and for the most part they succeeded. Wanting to rule over all, the "nobles" used their powers to bind the planet's spirits so only those who they desired could use its magic. You see when all were here I never denied any of my children the use of my power. As such the playing field was much more level, so to speak. But the spirits of the other planets were dormant and as such, easily controlled.

Later a woman of great power and peace was born. She was able to make all the planets but Earth come together and form the Moon Kingdom. Believing that their power was absolute the Moon Kingdom created the worst mistake ever, they created the Guardians. You know them as the Senshi."

At hearing that Naru had to protest. In her opinion the Senshi were saviors, heroic knights of good. As far as she was concerned there was no way they could be a mistake. "But," before Naru could continue Terra silenced her with a shake of her hand.

"Let me clarify. Are the Senshi a powerful force for good? Yes. The reason they were and still are a mistake is that they were created at the exclusion of all others. Over the time that humanity has lived on Earth there have been many tactical geniuses. Since they are of Earth I am with them, as such I too have such knowledge. When the Senshi were created those eight young women were intended to protect the entire solar system. No other method of protecting themselves was employed and this led to their downfall.

One day a member of the Earth's nobility fell in love with the princess of the Moon Kingdom. This love garnered the jealousy of another. She ended up summoning a dark God so she could wage war on the Moon Kingdom. At the time all the Senshi were on the Moon and when the attack came they fell to overwhelming numbers. In her final act the Queen of the Moon Kingdom used all her power to send those who died to the future and sealed the darkness. This act drained her talisman of all its power. With her talisman powerless something terrible happened. As each world joined the Moon Kingdom the rulers, in their infinite foolishness, tied the spells making their worlds habitable into the Queen's talisman. When it lost its power so did the spells and billions died a horrible death.

Much later the Princess and her Senshi were reborn and then began to fight their battle against evil. Though they won each battle their victories nearly destroyed me. Now, an evil that the Senshi thought was vanquished is returning. This time they care little for subjugating humanity and will think little of destroying the planet to get their revenge. The Senshi also seem to care little for the damage they cause to me.

Now for my proposal. For the first time in my existence I need a protector. Someone who can battle against those who would do me harm. They would also have to work on helping me repair myself. Humanity has done much damage to me and now a human must work to fix that damage."

Umino leaned forward, "Do you want to make us Senshi?"

Terra laughed, "Heavens no. I wish to make you into my avatar, my protector, my voice. You will not fight against evil just because it is. What you will fight against are all those that would do me, or my children, harm. This would mean that you may be forced to fight the Senshi if their goals and those of Earth and her people do not run parallel.

It was Naru's turn to ask a question, "Why us? We're not heroes. Hell, we've been attacked by youma more times than I can count. So I ask you, why us?"

The woman who was the physical embodiment of the planet Earth smiled and patted Umino and Naru on the knees. "You're absolutely perfect for the job." She then stood and directed the couple to follow her as she headed towards one of the forested areas. "Almost anyone can become a Senshi, all they have to do is meet with the approval of the Serenitys. The only real requirement, and this is an arbitrary one, is that the Senshi candidate must be female. By doing that they limited themselves, both to females and the occasional unsuitable candidate."

"Is there something wrong with picking women to be heroes," Naru asked with a twinge of anger in her voice.

Terra looked Naru in the eye, "Of course not. Women are just as capable as men. But I ask you this, if there were two candidates for a position, one male the other female, would you choose the female just because she is or the male who has the better qualifications?" Seeing that Naru understood Terra continued, "Since I am under no-one's heel I can set qualifications that are necessary for the choosing of the right Avatar."

Umino raised his hand, "Sorry to interrupt but you been saying you need AN avatar. Why did you take both of us?"

"Look around you," Terra said as waved her arm to indicate the forest around them. "The glory of nature is all around you. See that squirrel, it is completely content as it sits there eating its acorn. It doesn't realize that by gaining life from its consumption it is taking life from the tree that could have been. All around us nature is in balance, and if there is one thing I like having the most it is balance. That is why I picked you two. As individuals you were slightly out of balance, less so than I have seen in many a year. When you two came together in that ultimate act you found your balance in the other. That is why you are here Umino Gurio, you and Naru have reached a point that few before you have attained. Though I had been watching you there was always a chance that you two would separate. I had to wait until you realized what your hearts have known for so long, you've found your soul mate."

Naru and Umino looked at each other in shock. They were shocked for two reasons; one was that the other was their soul mate, the second was that they realized they felt nothing like that emotion. Luckily they had their second reason answered by Terra before they started to panic.

Said incarnation raised her hands as if she was warding something off. "Have no fear, my children. The absence of love is a temporary condition. I pulled you here the moment your souls touched. Had I not done what I did you would be two engrossed in each other to pay any attention to me."

At that the young couple began to settle down though the realization that that they couldn't feel love for their fiancé did leave them shaken. "So, you wanted soulmates," Umino asked to get the ball rolling.

"Yes," Terra replied as she nodded her head. "You see, to use my power a person must be physically and spiritually balanced. Unfortunately no one person fits that mark. I knew that I could make a person physically balanced but spiritually, I could never tamper with that. Luckily human beings have soul mates, and as such I realized that a male and a female soul could join together in harmony."

Naru was shocked once more, "You mean we are the first ones to have been spiritually balanced."

"No no. There were others, but an avatar was not needed and as such I did not seek one out. I was tempted to create one during the so-called "Cold War" but you managed to get yourselves out of that." She then stopped in the middle of a glade and turned to look at Umino, "To answer your initial question, though you are two separate individuals you are, in essence, a single spiritual being."

She then motioned for Naru and Umino to sit. As she herself took comfort in the soft grass several small and fluffy animals came up to her. After petting and feeding them for several minutes Terra looked up at the waiting couple. "As I feel that you should be made aware of what will happen if you agree to my proposal I tell you what you can expect. I'm sure the thing foremost on your mind is what powers you will posses. In your transformed state you both will have about four programmed attacks. I encourage you to come up with your own though. Your powers will be elemental in nature, much like the Sailor Senshi's, though you will be more powerful as less energy will be spent getting the environment to perform each attack. Remember this, anything that you can imagine can become an attack. Also your emotions play a big part in how the environment responds. The more intense the emotions you are feeling the greater the power with which nature responds.

Now for powers that only you two shall posses. Upon accepting the position you both will choose two of the four prime elements. These will become the elements that you are most in tune with and thus the easiest to manipulate. Along with the elements you will also be able to summon and communicate with all non-sentient life on Earth. Remember what I did with the vines, you will be able to do the same."

Umino raised his hand, "Um, we won't have to wear fuku's, will we?"

Terra shook her head, "No. There is no way an avatar of mine will wear such ridiculous clothing. This is what you will be attired in, should you accept," she said as she waived her hand.

As Terra waived her hand Naru and Umino felt the bodies tingle. Along with the tingle the air before them shimmered and became like a mirror. The tingle progressed and they could feel their bodies getting taller and stronger as their eyes told them what was happening. Several seconds after it started the tingling passed and they were left to admire Terra's handiwork. From Naru's point of view she could tell that she was at least 6'4''. Her once shoulder length red hair was now black and ended at her much more toned butt. Her clothes had changed to a black leather torso piece with an attached skirt that ended mid-thigh. Her much larger breasts were only amplified by the lifting nature of her outfit and the gold accents. On Naru's forearms there were black leather gauntlets with additional gold inlay. The large black boots that went to her knees and the frisbee sized ring on her hip completed the package.

For his part Umino never felt so strong in his entire life. He could tell that he was at least 6'6'' if not taller. His once short and spiky hair was now touching his shoulders. The blue shirt and vest that he had been wearing was replaced by a sleeveless white shirt. The black dress pants were replaced by a pair of black leather pants which tucked into a pair of boots. All over he could see muscles, event though they were not horribly bulked up like some of the American weight lifters he still felt like he could move mountain with the greatest of ease. Though he marveled at his new physic Umino also noticed something else about his new appearance, "I look just like . . ."

It seems as if Naru also made the same conclusion that her significant other did because she was saying the same thing, "Hercules and Xena!" Along with Umino, Naru looked around the edge of the mirror at Terra, "What's the deal?"

Terra shrugged her shoulders, "Those two were powerful heroes from Earth's past. I can see that they are symbols of both power and heroism, something humanity needs in the dark days to come. As for why you look like the actors that played them, well what's to say that wasn't what they looked like before. Besides, I can't think of a better disguise. And you know how pathetically easy it is to see through the Senshi's disguise field. This way, as long as no one see you transform, people won't ever guess who you are." She then began to circle the changed duo as the mirror faded into the either. "You clothes are an armor at least a third stronger and more durable than the Senshi's. As you get more proficient with you powers they shall grow stronger with you."

Stopping in front of Umino, Terra took hold of the bracers and lifted his arms up, "These are the Crust. Like the crust which protects all life on the surface from the fires below these protect you from attack. With them you shall be able to shield yourself and those whom you protect from harm. Be warned, though they may absorb a great deal of abuse, any shield the create WILL break if the force is great enough." With that Terra walked over to Naru and took the ring from her hip. She then held it up, "This is Lightning. Like its namesake it has but one purpose, destruction." With a flick of her wrist the ring transformed into a long European sword, "This can become any weapon that you can imagine." To emphasize her point she made Lightning become various weapons before returning it to its original form. "With this there are few things that you can not cut through. My warning to you, always be ready for the time when this does not hurt something." At that the ring vanished and Naru and Umino returned to their birth forms.

In an instant Terra's levity vanished as the world around them grew darker. "With power such as this there is always tradeoffs. The first is that I own you. I have no desire to find a new voice should I need one, therefore you shall be mine in perpetuity. Until I die you shall be immortal and in my service. Once I am, you shall be free and you will once more be subject to the rigors of time. Now let me assure you that while you are in my service you will have a great deal of freedom. You can have a family, travel, do what you will. The only time that you even hear form me is when the planet and its inhabitants are in danger. Should that happen you will probably have little problem with doing what must be done as it threatens everything on the planet. Finally, something that will effect your relationship. When you accept you both will remain in the state you are in now. Joined spiritually but apart physically. In this way you will be able to fight and live as one. But you will also be forced to share in the others pain.

I caution you, should you accept this there will be no going back. If you refuse I will understand and pay you no harm. All this will be as a dream and you shall go about your lives as you would. But if you agree I assure you, you shall experience wonders unlike any you can possibly imagine." She then returned to her happy appearance, "I'll leave you to think it over. Please, only do this if you are sure that it is what you want."

As Terra walked away Umino and Naru looked each other in the eye. Though their feelings for the other were being dampened their memories were still present. With not a single word spoken they reached out and took the other's hand in their own. Their course clear, the couple turned to look at the retreating form of Terra, "Wait."

Terra turned and looked at them with a smile, "I knew I was right about you two."

ooooooooo

As she walked through the halls of Hellsing's Japan headquarters Usagi kept her mind off what her fellow Senshi would do to her now by taking in her surroundings. Though the building obviously had a Japanese architect there were touches everywhere that heralded European residents. As Usagi walked further away from Integra's office she noticed that the bright lights from the outside were gone. She could tell that the windows had been blacked out. Luckily she realized why they were before she asked. There was no way she wanted to look like a fool in front of these people. Her train of thought was derailed when Walter, her guide, stopped at a door.

Walter knocked but once and several seconds later the door opened to reveal a young woman with short orange hair and remarkable red eyes. "Ms. Victoria, may I introduce Ms. Usagi Tsukino. Sir Integra has requested that you instruct Ms. Tsukino in the ways of being a vampire in our modern age."

The young woman's eyes widened at that news. "Of course. " She then backed up and opened the door wide. "Please come in."

Usagi looked to Walter and gave him a slight bow, "Thank you Walter." Walter gave a curt bow then turned and walked back the way they came. Usagi blinked at his shortness but she pondered it for a moment as Seras' voice called her attention.

"Don't worry about him. They're all like that to us," the young vampire stated flippantly.

Usagi looked to her questioningly, "What do mean, us?"

"Vampires," Seras replied as Usagi walked into her room. As she closed the door she continued, "But don't worry about it." She then did a circle around Usagi and took a good look. "Hmm, you seem to be taking this better than I did."

Usagi just shrugged her shoulders, "I've had my share of weirdness. I just wonder what my friends are going to think. They're really, religious."

Seras waived her concerns off, "Don't worry about them. I've found that those types are split down the middle. If you act like you always do and they are good friends then they'll stick with you. If they don't then those are not the types you want to be around." Changing the subject Seras walked over to one of the corners of the spartanly decorated room and grabbed her gun, the Harkonnen. She acted like her weapon was heavy for her as she walked over to Usagi. "This," she said, indicating the gun, "is the 30mm anti-midian cannon Harkonnen. Here, catch," with one smooth motion she tossed the cannon towards Usagi.

Seeing the obviously heavy weapon coming right for her, Usagi panicked. But she grabbed the gun, thinking that she was going to be pulled to the ground by its weight. When it laded in her hands she was shocked that it was as light as a feather. "This, this. How much does this weigh?"

Seras barked a laugh, "Exactly as much as you think. It's one of the perks of being a vampire. We're easily three times stronger than the average human. Our senses are also boosted dramatically. This can be a problem."

Usagi quirked an eyebrow, "Why?" Her mind was filled with childhood visions of superpowers. Now it appears that she has them. Other than the Senshi thing that is.

"Oh I know what you're thinking about but having better senses can be more trouble than its worth. I was lucky, in that they made me stay at the head quarters as much as possible. But even then it takes some getting used to. The city can be harsh on the senses with all the pollution and noise. Luckily they keep this place well insulated. As for you it's just something that you are going to have to get used to." She then gestured for Usagi to sit down at the table in her room. With the young woman sitting, Seras walked over to the personal refrigerator she kept. Upon opening it a good deal of blood packs. She grabbed on of the packs and walked over to the table. Once she got there she tossed it over to where Usagi was sitting. "This is what is going to take the longest to get used to."

"Drinking blood?" Up till now she had never thought about that one particular piece vampire lore. Of all the things that a vampire does that was the one thing that ranked very high on her ick meter. Now though, with a pack of human blood sitting right before her she realized that, that particular side effect would be with her for the rest of her long life.

"Yes. When I first turned it was the hardest thing for me to do. Every time I worked up the nerve to drink I would think that doing so would loose what humanity I had left. Finally though, I was forced to drink to regain my strength. When I did I found that I was no different. I wasn't any less human than before and I felt much stronger."

"Where do you get it?" Usagi figured that Hellsing didn't just drain innocent humans and knowing where one could procure blood is a good thing when you're a vampire. As Seras talked Usagi also noticed something, while a part of her yearned to tear open the blood pack before her and partake of its contents an other part would kill for a triple scoop ice cream cone. This brought her a measure of comfort.

"The Japanese government has set up a blood bank for us. Whenever we need some more we go to them. If they ever run low then all they do is get some members of the JSDF to donate some. Luckily are needs are small so we don't have to go to them much." Getting up from the table Seras walked over to the desk and pulled out a small PDA. After searching through it for several minutes she found what she was searching for and wrote down some information. Walking back to the table she handed the sheet of paper to Usagi. "Here. This is the address and phone number to our source. There are some really nice guys down there, if you're looking that is."

At that Usagi's heart grew a little heavier. Though the ring on her finger signified Mamoru's love for her she also knew how flighty he could be. If he found out about the recent changes to her he might leave once more.

Seras noticed Usagi's funk. "What's wrong," she asked as she took hold of Usagi's hand.

"My fianc' is one of those religious types I mentioned."

Seras' eyes widened in shock only to close in sadness. In a way she was lucky. When she was first turned her unit had been turned to ghouls and her family was dead. As all the people she cared for were dead she did not have to tell them. Usagi though faces the very real possibility that all of those she loved would reject her. In a way she almost wished that Usagi had bee killed rather than turned. Had it been such she would not have to experience that pain. "Nothing I can say to you that will ease the pain should your fears prove true. All I can say is remember how you felt for him before all this happened. If you can still keep that with you then that is how you know you are still human."

Usagi looked at Seras with eyes filled with unshed tears. "Thank you. At least I have one friend."

"Of course you do," Seras said with a smile. "Us vampires have to stick together." She then shook her head and tried to change the subject, "So did anyone tell you what you've go to avoid?"

As she wiped the moisture away Usagi answered, "Apparently I don't have to worry about all the things that normal vampires have to. Alucard told me that I'm still human in that way." She smiled at the shocked look on Seras's face at that little bit of information.

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They continued on for a good while longer but in the end Usagi left the Hellsing compound. As she stepped into the first rays of the morning light she flinched at its brightness and marveled that she was feeling no adverse effects. Re-positioning her purse, Usagi set off for home. All the while she tried to keep her thoughts off the handgun loaded with silver bullets that was currently in there. Walter had handed it to her along with a permit as she left the compound. Instead she tried to think about what terrible things her parents might do to her as a result of her being awake and away from home all night. Though they knew about her nightly activities the general consensus that she had to let them know if she was going to come in late. Hopefully they would understand that what had happened was unavoidable.

Several years ago they made her spill the beans on her situation. They had seen that she was staying out late and that her grades had been slipping. That along with some unexplainable injuries really made them think that she was up to no good. Luckily they were very understanding people and when she showed them who she was they accepted her. In the years that followed they did everything that they could to support her. They even helped her with her schoolwork, something that was rather amusing to her given the fact that, on several occasions, they had to call Ami so that they could understand the material that they were trying to help her with. But it was because of them that she had passed with good grades from Juban High. There would never be enough words to say her thanks for them that is why she, while they were asleep one night, gave them a present that would never go bad. Though they might not realize what she had done for many more years to come.

It's funny how ones perception of the world around them changes as they think. For while she thought of the future and the past her feet guided her to her destination. Before she knew it she was standing before the door to her home. As she reached out to slide her key in the door it slammed open reveling a very irate looking Ikuko Tsukino. "Where. Have. You. Been. YOUNG LADY?!"

Usagi took a step back and gave her mother a weak wave. "Um hi Mom."

Before Usagi could say anything further Ikuko growled menacingly as she pulled her daughter in by the ear. With ear firmly in her hand Ikuko walked inside and slammed the door shut. She led Usagi to the living room and sat her down on the couch.

Hearing the commotion in the front of the house Kenji Tsukino walked out of the kitchen with the paper under his arm. Seeing his teenage daughter nursing a bruised ear while his wife glared accusingly at her, he did what any good husband and father would do. He turned around and headed away for the conflict. Unfortunately he was not quick enough and his wife's voice called out to him.

"Your father and I are waiting for an explanation young lady."

Kenji let out a soft sigh and sat down for the long haul. He looked to his daughter and saw something in her eyes that gave him pause. Deciding that his wife's anger, no mater how just, was not the thing that Usagi needed Kenji said, "Ikuko please. How is Usagi supposed to answer you if you're looking at her like that."

Ikuko was about to issue an angry retort when she looked into her daughter's eyes and saw the same thing that her husband did. So with a great sigh she nodded her head and sat down next to her husband. As Kenji put an arm around her shoulders she began to realize that the anger she had been feeling so strongly was really fear. The kind of fear a parent gets when they don't know where their children are. Though her anger was now dampened she still wanted her question answered and she looked at their daughter expectantly.

Usagi looked away from the expectant faces of her parents as the fear she felt within her grew increasingly larger. Though she could live her life without the support of her friends, it would be tough but she could, there would be no way that she would survive the crushing blow of her parents rejecting her. Stealing herself for the worse Usagi pictured the smiling faces of her parents in her mind and hoped that memories would not be the only time she saw them in the future. "As you know I fight evil creatures. While I'm Sailor Moon I've saved the world from the darkness more times than I can count. Last night I was captured by a vampire. At the time I thought that he was a normal person and I was scared that if I transformed he might tell people who Sailor Moon really is. Then a guy walked out of the shadows. It turns out that he too was a vampire, but unlike the one who had captured me he uses his powers to defend humanity against vampires. Though he rescued me from my captor he had to bite me to save my life. So now I'm a vampire too. Though the Crystal protected me from the negative side effects of the bite I still have to drink blood to keep my strength. I don't feel any different but I am, and I'll understand if you don't want me under your roof." She stopped there to regain her composure.

The lack of any response from her parents seemed to make real her worse fears. She had just lost her family. Instantly the small pit of fear became a gaping maw of pure sorrow. But should would not falter, not yet any way. Her frame shuddered for a moment until she got it under control. As she was about to stand she felt someone sit next to her. Though she did not want to she was compelled to look at the person. What she saw was her mother, but instead of he look of disgust of fear that she expected Usagi saw love and tears in her mother's eyes.

As she sat beside her daughter Ikuko marveled at the strength her daughter possessed. Here was a young woman who had taken on beings so horrible that the strongest of men would weep at their image. And now she sat there ready to leave forever if she and Kenji told her that they didn't want her any more. And though Usagi would go on she would be shattered and would probably end up much different than she should. Seeing her daughter in such pain made her heart break. In that instant she tried to place all the love she had for Usagi into her face, hoping Usagi would see it. Apparently she did as Usagi's hard eyes began shedding tears profusely and she slammed herself into Ikuko.

Seeing that his daughter was doing better Kenji focused less on Usagi's behavior and began to take in other things. As his eyes wondered they took in a bright shinny object. His eyes focused on the reflected light and he was shocked to see that it was a golden band. What was even worse was that this ring was on the finger of his teenage daughter. Realizing what it meant Kenji let out a startled gasp. Usagi and Ikuko looked to Kenji in confusion Kenji pointed accusingly at the offending band. "Wha, wha, what is that?!"

Along with her mother, Usagi looked down at where her father was pointing and blushed in embarrassment. In her worry that her parents might not except her Usagi had completely forgot about the pleasantness that had started the night before. Knowing that her parents would want an explanation she said nervously, "I got engaged."

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In a plush high-rise apartment Mamoru Chiba slept peacefully. As he slept his dreams were filled with visions of a time to come. The pleasant dreams portrayed his life with Usagi in the world of Crystal Tokyo. Recently his dreams had been much more disturbing as they were warped by the fear that Usagi would leave him like he had done to her so many times. But with her accepting of the engagement ring, and him, Mamoru's dreams were much brighter.

In another room of Mamoru's apartment was a small wooden box. Within this box, on a velvet cushion, lay four differently colored stones. These stones where all that remain of the four generals, Jadeite, Kunzite, Zoeicite, and Malachite. At one time these four men had been guardians of the prince of Earth. Unfortunately they fell prey to the woman known as Beryl. Along with the dark God Mettalia, she turned the men to the darkness and they served her well in the destruction of the paradise known as the Moon Kingdom. Later, when the Sailor Senshi were reborn these generals led an army of evil creatures against the Senshi and the good people of Tokyo's Juban District. One by one the generals inexplicably fell to the Senshi's might, the good men that they once were forever sealed within the stones. In this form the men lived on as ghosts who, on occasion, gave Mamoru advice.

It was this case that was the target of the intruder. The oddly shaped female form snuck into Mamoru's apartment, disturbing nothing. When she found the object of her search she had to stifle a laugh. To think, such a treasure was left out in the open. It was as if the box's owner wanted it to be stolen. Taking a quick look around to make sure that she was still alone, the woman opened the box and slid the stones into the small bag she had on her person. Once the final stone clinked into the bag she placed the box back where she had gotten it from. Her master did not want Mamoru and his friends to know of their actions just yet. With her task complete the woman snuck out of the building the same way she had entered. Sneaking from shadow to shadow the woman made her way to a large warehouse. As she entered she felt the wards that had been placed throughout the structure. These wards had a singular purpose, to keep the Senshi unaware of her master's operation. The woman spoke to none of the people that she passed on her way towards the heart of the structure. The wards in this room were so powerful that only someone actively using the Silver Crystal could detect the goings on here. When a red light turned green she knew that it was safe to do perform her final duty. From her pocket she pulled a small crystal. Pointing the crystal away from her she pressed it and a dark hole in space appeared before her. The portal in place the woman stepped through to conclude her mission.

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Author's Notes: Here is chapter one hoped you enjoy it. This one took longer to write but it is finally done. I've set up several things her that will continue throughout the story. I know that the bit with Naru and Umino took a bit but I like them and wanted to make them a larger part of the universe. Their transformations are the way they are to correct a problem I've had with the Senshi, you can tell who they are. Hell, if Beryl hadn't been a bitch and iced Jadeite they would have been able to take the Senshi and the battle would have been one before it really started. I know that there is rampant OOCness but this takes place four years after everything. I'm of the opinion that Usagi was going through a phase otherwise she would have been one of the dumbest queens ever. As for the Earth Senshi thing, well I thought it was odd that there were no male Senshi and that Earth didn't have one. I realize that Naoko Takeuchi proclaimed that there would be no male Senshi but I think that is dumb. And quite frankly Mamoru isn't the greatest fighter ever. Naru and Umino's true strength will be not in their power but in their ability to work together effectively. I will listen to any coments or concerns that you have but please no flames. Those will not be answered.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	3. Sometimes You Must Light a Fire to Save ...

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 2 -Sometimes You Must Light a Fire to Save a Forrest

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For Naru Osaka and Umino Gojiro the day was a bright one. The night before Umino had gone to great pains to make it the most romantic possible. The climax of the evening was a proposal under fireworks. This was when Naru took charge of the night and ended up dragging her fiancé back to her home so that they could consummate the new level their relationship had attained. Afterwards they were introduced to Terra the spirit of the planet Earth. Terra made an interesting proposal, one in which Umino and Naru could not refuse. As such the forces of good gained two new allies.

After a long and restful sleep Naru was awoken by the succulent aromas of breakfast. Opening her eyes she saw her newly acquired fiancé standing beside her with a tray of food, the only clothing he wore was a pair of boxers. She smiled at his gesture and gave him quite a show as she stretched the last vestiges of her sleepiness away. Naru knew exactly what she was doing for as she stretched her cover slid down her body to reveal her breasts to her man. As she stretched Naru made sure to keep her eyes locked with Umino's. What she saw, and felt, made her smile. Her little display had gotten Umino's juices flowing. And while the thought of having him in her once more was very tempting another desire had greater prevalence, her hunger.

"Is that for me," she asked in the most innocent way she was capable of.

Hearing his love's voice snapped Umino out of the daze Naru's gorgeous naked flesh created in him. He smiled at her, "Depends on what you mean," he replied with a naughty grin on his face. It was his hope that Naru might want to make a repeat performance of last night's activities.

Naru smiled wickedly and leaned forward, an act that she knew would really light Umino's fire. She reached out to him invitingly. In response Umino leaned in. With him close enough Naru lovingly caressed Umino's cheek. From there, Naru slowly ran her hand down Umino's body, making sure to hit all the spots she learned last night. Once she made a circuit across his chest Naru's hand traveled up and made its way down Umino's, now very taught, arm. Upon reaching Umino's hand Naru grabbed a piece of toast from the tray and sat back as she ate it.

As Naru ate her toast Umino stood at her bedside, his shoulders slumped, hopes dashed, and desires left unfulfilled. It was then that he realized who had the real power in their relationship. He might end up making more money and be able to make as many decisions as he wanted, but in their relationship Naru would be the one to be the lead. "But. I thought....," he trailed off.

With her free hand Naru wagged her index finger, "I never said I didn't." She patted the bed beside her. Once the now completely perplexed young man sat down on the bed Naru took hold of his hand. "What we shared last night was wonderful and I must say that it was better than I had imagined. But I don't want that to be what our relationship is all about." Umino was about to protest when she placed her finger on his lips. "I know that I was the one to lead you on and I'm sorry. I just want you to know that while we'll still do that, because a repeat of last night would not be a bad thing, but I still want what we had before." Having said her mind Naru continued eating.

As Naru ate Umino sat there and thought about what she had said, "Why would she think that I wouldn't do the stuff I did before?" Out of no-where a thought popped into his head, "Naiumi told her about her experience with Kojiro." The odd thing about that line of thought was that the internal monologue sounded like Naru's voice. Any further thoughts we halted by Naru, who had gotten off the bed.

The young woman, who had still not made a move to cover herself, walked over to her door. Upon reaching the door she looked to Umino. "You coming?"

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Thoroughly cleaned and woken up Naru and Umino were walking the streets of Juban, their destination, the Tsukino residence. Though the reasons for visiting their distant friend were known to both there was still some doubt on whether or not their course of action was the correct one. "Are we sure that we're doing the right thing? Terra did say that they would be our enemies," stated Naru apprehensively.

Umino squeezed her a little closer to himself in an effort to comfort her. "She only said that they might become our enemies. And you know Usagi, if she knows something is wrong she won't do it."

"That was before she met her knew friends," the way she said the word friends made it clear that she wasn't too fond of the people Usagi had been hanging with the past few years. "Who knows what she'll feel like now?"

"Let's hope that you're wrong, while planning for the worst," Umino stated severely.

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After a shower and a change of cloths Usagi was once more on the streets of Juban. The Senshi had a meeting scheduled at Rei's temple and she did not want to be late. As she walked she drew the looks of all around her. Overly conscious of her newly transformed state Usagi thought that they might know that she was no longer human. What she didn't know was that they were admiring her beauty. After a while the looks where getting to much to handle and she slipped into an alleyway to escape them. As she pressed herself against the wall Usagi found herself wanting to be on the roof. A second later she found herself falling backwards into shadow. In an instant shadow gave way to the warm light of the sun.

Looking around Usagi saw that she was now on top of the building that she had been leaning against. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth Usagi decided to try out her new abilities. After checking the distance between the two buildings Usagi did a running jump and nearly jumped over the building she was attempting to land on. Upon landing she realized that somehow she was able to use her vampiric powers even though Alucard said that she would be unable to while the sun was up. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth she continued on her way to Rei's shrine.

By rooftop, Usagi reached her destination much faster than she had intended. As she landed in an alley across the street from the shrine she began to feel hungry. This hunger was different than the sorts she had experienced in the past. Instead of being centered at her stomach this hunger radiated throughout her entire body. She knew what this hunger was she needed blood. "I guess using my powers has a bad side." Luckily the need was not too great at the moment but she did know that if she didn't get blood soon she might do something that she regretted. Now she was in a quandary, the blood bank was about ten minutes away but that would mean that a round trip would take twenty minutes. A look down at her watch was the deciding factor, if she hurried up ad crossed the street she would be on time. Otherwise she might get her head talked off by Rei.

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In the living room of her home Rei Hino sat with her fellow Senshi as they waited for their illustrious, and often late, leader to show up. As she waited Rei observed the actions of her friends, pondering how things change and yet in some ways they stay the same. Ami sat, as usual, with a book in hand. Her calm demeanor giving no attention to the others in the room. Next to her sat a much older Hotaru, for many on the team Hotaru was a source of continuing envy. It seems that she had some very good genes in her, for she was taller that Makoto and though she had somehow managed to develop muscle she also developed some killer looks. Minako and Makoto were doing what they do best looking into a boy magazine and drool. Though their tastes had become more refined as they have aged they still have an eye for a nice set of buns. It seemed though that Makoto did not have all her heart into looking as she looked oftly concerned about Ami for some reason. Haruka and Michiru were the same as usual, disgusting everyone with their rampant PDAs. As for the final member of the team, Setsuna, well she had yet to arrive. After a while Usagi had ordered her to start attending meetings. Setsuna did as her leader ordered but she never arrived early, or even on time, she would only get to the meeting at the same time as Usagi.

As Rei sat there she felt something tingle the wards of the temple. Seeing that it wasn't a true breaking Rei calmly stood up and excused herself. Once outside she walked the stone path to the temple steps were the wards were set off. All she saw there though was Usagi and she softly cursed the strips of paper.

Seeing that her friend was upset Usagi stopped and she placed a hand on Rei's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing. Its just that my wards were acting up." Rei looked up and pointed at the strips of paper hanging from the temple arch. "For some reason they were triggered."

Luckily, for Usagi, Rei was not looking at her for if she was she would have seen that Usagi was deathly pale. She knew that she was the reason that the wards had been activated. Hoping to take Rei's mind off the activation of the wards Usagi asked, "So, are all the others already here?"

Usagi's words startled Rei and she shook her head to clear it. Looking to her friend she smiled. "All except Setsuna, and you know how she is." With her mind once more on the meeting Rei headed back up the shrine steps.

Usagi though stood her ground. With the activation of Rei's wards Usagi realized that she could not go to the meeting. There was seldom a time that they were together in which Ami did not have her computer with her. Usagi also remembered that even though Ami did not always use it at the meetings she kept it on active scan mode. Surely the little marvel would detect her condition and then the gig would be up. So she decided that it would be better if she did not make an appearance. With that in mind Usagi turned around and made her way from the shrine and her friends.

She did not get far though as her way was blocked by the last two people she expected to see, Naru and her boyfriend Umino. Looking at her friends from long ago Usagi's heart was conflicted. On one hand it made her happy that they had gotten together and were happy. On the other it pained her to know that had it not been for Luna and the compact that turned her into Sailor Moon their friendship might have been much stronger. Still. she gave her friends a smile. "Hi guys. How's it going?"

Though Umino and Naru felt like smiling to each other something stopped them, the look on their friend's face. Usagi was unusually pale and her eyes were always in motion. Several times just during the period that they were watching her Usagi turned to look back at the shrine. They had been sent in this direction by Usagi's parents. At the time they thought that Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino were just having a bad morning. Now though, as they looked at Usagi, the haggard look on their faces told them that something bad had happened. But before they could ask what was wrong with her a loud grating voice called out for Usagi.

Rei was pissed. After her conversation with Usagi she had went back to sit with her fellow scouts. When she got there she was greeted by Ami who had detected a Youma-esqe teleport. At that Rei turned to look at her leader to what course of action the team was to take. Unfortunately Usagi was not there. "You change and go check out what Ami detected. I'll go find the meatball head." As she ran for the shrine steps Rei heard the others activate the transformations. "Danmmit! Where the hell did that girl run off to," she thought to herself angrily. Her question was answered when she turned the corner to see her quarry standing with those two that Usagi used to hang out with.

Hearing the anger in Rei's voice scared the hell out of Usagi. "Does she know," the young woman fearful asked herself. Hoping that the presence of Naru and Umino would keep Rei from transforming and attacking her. "Um what's wrong," she asked, hoping that the fear that she felt did not creep too far into her voice.

Seeing that Usagi was standing with civilians Rei could not tell her that they were needed to save the day. So she decided to speak in code, "Usagi! Come quick! Ami is having a MONSTER of a problem!"

Realizing that it was a youma and not her new condition that had Rei after her Usagi relaxed a little. Emphasis on little. Still though, duty calls and Usagi's duty was clear, she had to save innocents. Realizing that she as being watched by Umino and Naru Usagi turned and bowed. "Please excuse me I've got to go and help Ami," with that Usagi was off.

Seeing Usagi run off like that made Umino sigh in disappointment. They had been so close to talking to her. As he stood there Umino began to feel a heat coming from beside him and in his mind. That heat was Naru and she was mad.

"GOD DAMMIT," Naru screamed to herself. They were so close and that damn Rei spoiled it. "Well at least she is as stupid as she is loud," she thought. There was only one thing that she could infer from what Rei had said, there was a youma on the loose. With that in mind Naru reached out and grabbed her significant other by the jacket so that she could drag him into the adjacent alley.

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If one where to look at the rooftops of Juban this day they would be treated to the sight of two of the area's local defenders hopping from roof to roof. As the two scantily dress defenders of love and justice traveled towards the location of the most recent youma attack there was not a word spoken.

For her part Usagi was uneasy being this close to her spiritually inclined friend. She was also having problems of another kind. The mild hunger that she felt when she reached the shrine was now becoming rather urgent. What wasn't helping was the fact that she was holding herself back from using her vampiric powers.

As she ran beside her friend and Princess, Rei was worried. Never had she seen Usagi as pale as she was. For some reason Usagi had been unusually jumpy. When she had tried to engage the young woman in their usual banter Usagi had shied away from her like a wounded puppy. It was almost like she was afraid of her.

With their enhanced speed Sailors Moon and Mars reached the scene of the attack in no time. What lay before their eyes was a vision of carnage. In all there years as Senshi they had never seen such a battlefield. The entire are was littered with bodies, a rare but not unheard of event, unfortunately these bodies where not drained of energy. Instead they were mangled messes and it was obvious that all were dead or dying. Without hesitation Rei jumped down to render aid for her fellow Senshi. As she fell Rei launched an attack at the Youma. An attack that accomplished nothing, other than angering the creature.

Landing on the blood soaked ground Rei rushed to Ami's side. The young woman was rather green, probably from the carnage all around, but she was diligently working on her computer. "What the hell is that thing," she yelled.

"I don't know. It has some familiar energy patterns and yet it seems as if it is immune to our attacks."

"Then how do we kill it?"

"All I know is that the only thing that did anything to it was when Saturn actually hit it with the Silence Glaive. It was able to cut into it somewhat." As if to show that she was correct Haruka dove towards the Youma with her talisman, the Space Sword, extended. With a mighty, "KIYA," Sailor Uranus brought her weight down on the creature of evil and her blade cut a shallow groove in the Youma's neck.

Upon the roof that Rei had jumped down from Usagi still stood, rooted to the spot. Her eyes were wide and her chest was heaving. Before her was the thing she desired. The yawing pit that was her stomach cried out for that glorious liquid that was covering the concrete below. Yet, something in her, some new instinct granted to her by the vampire side of being, told Usagi that the blood on the ground was not fresh enough. As Haruka cut into the Youma's flesh a stream of blood issued forth from the wound. Seeing that liquid Usagi's wide eyes narrowed sinisterly and a cruel smile marred her kindly features. In a flash the crazed Senshi hurled herself at the creature, all the while never noticing the pair of bat wings that appeared in stark contrast to the white one that were still there.

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As the final member of the Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, made his way across the rooftops of Juban he experienced a feeling of dread that only built as he got closer to the scene of the battle. These feelings began early in his day. Upon awaking from his restful slumber Tuxedo Kamen's civilian persona, Mamoru Chiba knew that there was something amiss. After searching his apartment apart for nearly an hour Mamoru found out what was wrong. Someone had by passed all of his expensive, or expensive-looking, stuff and stolen the one thing of any true value to him. They stole his box containing the stones belonging to the four generals that protected him during the Silver Millennium. What worried him more was that he could find no place where a thief may have entered.

While he was searching his apartment for a possible way in Mamoru got a signal from Ami about a Youma attack. So withdrawing a rose from his spooky rose space Mamoru transformed into the caped doer of good Tuxedo Kamen. Upon arriving at the scene of the battle he was livid, not only was there blood and body parts everywhere but the women whom he was engaged to was being manhandled by a creature of evil. With a deft flick of his wrist Mamoru sent five magic-infused roses hurtling towards the Youma. In a rare stroke of luck Mamoru's attack, unlike the others, struck deep into the creature's hide causing it to roar in pain.

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When the Youma roared it jarred Usagi from her daze. The first thing that she noticed was that she was biting something. As she pulled herself away from whatever her teeth were sunk into she saw, to her horror, that it was a Youma. What was worse was that she realized that the hunger that she had been feeling was no longer there, which meant that she mush have guzzled down the Youma's blood. She staggered back from the thrashing Youma only to see the shocked faces of her fellow Senshi. Knowing that the gig was up Usagi did the first thing that came to her mind, she ran like hell.

Though she wanted nothing more than to chase Usagi down demand to know what just happened Rei stood her ground. After all there was still a Youma to defeat. "Ami! Quick! Why did Tuxedo Mask's roses do so much damage?"

Sailor Mars' voice broke the din of shock that clouded Mercury's thoughts on Usagi's insane behavior. Looking down to her computer Mercury sought out an answer to Mars' question. Her search turned up only one thing, Senshi magic and that used by Tuxedo Kamen were different. A fact that she indicated to Mars. "Maybe it's vulnerable to the kind of magic that he uses."

From high above came a voice, "Well that will make things easier. Won't it Earth?"

As one everyone in the area turned to look up at the speaker, including the Youma. Up on one of the roofs were two people who bore a remarkable resemblance to the TV Hercules and Xena.

"Who are you? Were you the ones who created this Youma," demanded Mars.

The Xena clone looked down on the Senshi. "I don't see how that is any of your damn business." She then turned to her companion and said some words. After a short conversation the woman bounded off for parts unknown.

While his companion left, the male jumped down to the ground. Like a comet, the man streaked towards the concrete. When he landed the man left a sizeable crater in the ground. Then, as if such a fall was nothing, he stood and surveyed the carnage around him. All those with any brains in them knew that he was less that pleased with what he saw as his hands and the area around them began to glow deep blue. "Since you like to kill things so much, take this." He then raised his arms above his head and slammed them down onto the ground. As he did so he yelled, "EARTH GYSER!" From the small crater that his fists created erupted a stream of destruction that stretched all the way to the Youma. Once there nothing seemed to happen for several seconds and then the entire area began to shake violently. From beneath the Youma exploded hundreds of razor sharp rocks that punched more holes in its hide than a colander.

The damage to its body seemed to be too much for the Youma to handle and it turned to dust. Once its entire body had become a pile of debris the man turned to look at the Sailor Senshi. One look at his face and they gasped in surprise for his eyes were wet with unshed tears. Then, as if the planet felt his pain, rain began to cascade down like tears. While the sudden downpour slowly cleared away the blood of the innocent another miraculous thing happened. From the cracked earth snaked dozens of leafy vines. Within minutes the vines had taken hold of the mangled bodies and made them whole. Their task complete the vines returned to the earth from which they sprung.

While the rain still fell it did let up some. Through everything the Senshi stood in silent shock. Never had a Youma been so handled so easily by a single person. The events afterwards were equally amazing. As the Senshi stood there dumbfounded the man walked up to them. "Now at least the families of the dead will not have to see that." The man's stern visage took on a more friendly look. "I am sorry for my companion's rude behavior. My name is Earth and the woman with me was Terra. We are here to ensure that Earth's and Humanity's future are left in their own hands. To that end we shall defend them against all enemies," Earth pointed at the place where the Youma died, "foreign." He then looked at the Senshi, "And Domestic." Before the more hot tempered Senshi could issue any sort of protest Earth jumped up to the roof of one of the buildings and headed in the same direction as Terra did earlier.

ooooooooo

As she ran away from where her fellow Senshi stood dumbfounded Usagi felt the hot sting of tears. She had feared what their reaction would have been like if she told them in a controlled setting. Instead, they found out in the worst way imaginable. What was worse was that while she had whished it had not happened the taste of the Youma's blood was exquisite and filled with far more energy than the blood she tried at the Helsing compound.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her that caused her to loose her footing. "Oh my God. He was there, Mamoru was there and he saw me like that." With that thought brought to her consciousness Usagi stopped running and fell to her knees. In one ill-advised burst of hunger Usagi threw away her friends and her fiancé. "How could I have been so stupid," she berated herself. "And now, all my friends are going to try to kill me."

In her grief Usagi failed to sense the person that walked up behind her. As she neared Usagi's prone form Terra, Naru, felt her heart go out for this young woman before her. How many times had Usagi been weighted down by the pressures of being Sailor Moon? How many times did she come into school looking like a shadow of her normally cheerful self? Now, here she was. Heartbroken and devoid of all hope. Here was her chance, this time Usagi would not be able to push her away. She knew her secrets and she was going to make sure that Usagi knew that there were still people out there who were more than willing to be her friend.

Naru kneeled down beside the sobbing woman and placed a hand on Usagi shaking shoulder. "Sailor Moon. Usagi. Please stop crying."

Usagi pulled herself away from Naru's touch like it was on fire. The sadness that had held dominion over her being was gone and in its place was shock and fear. Not only had this person, who upon further examination looked a good deal like Lucy Lawless, snuck up to her but she also knew who she truly was. "Wh. . . Who are you?"

The fear that Usagi was feeling right now was so clear that blind man could see it. Hoping to ease that fear somewhat Naru smiled and let her transformation go. "A friend."

To say that Usagi was shocked to see this woman transform into her old friend Naru. Over the years since she had become Sailor Moon she had tried to distance herself from her pre-Moon friends. It seemed the only way to keep them safe. While she had stayed away Usagi was glad to see that Naru and Umino were able to go on with out her and have a normal life. Now it seemed as if Naru had managed to find some powers of her own. Powers or no it was good to see that the friend she had parted with so long ago was still there for her. To show her appreciation Usagi's eyes teared up and she threw herself into Naru's arms.

Over the next few minutes Usagi sobbed into Naru's chest as the young woman held her in a comforting embrace. During that time not a single word was spoken but a friendship once broken was rebuilt into something just as strong as what the pair had shared in the past. Finally Usagi's tears subsided and she pulled herself from Naru's arms. "Thanks for being here for me," she said as she whipped the last vestiges of her tears away.

"I've always been here Usagi. You just never looked," Naru said with a rueful smile. "Now why don't you tell me why you were crying," she asked.

Flashing back on her previous actions Usagi turned her head away in shame. "I've been going through some changes lately and because of that I think I just lost my Senshi and my fiancé."

Before Naru could ask what kind of changes would do what Usagi said another voice made its presence known. "You haven't lost us all your majesty." Both young woman turned their heads to the source of the voice and they saw Sailor Pluto standing a few feet away, her Time Key was beside her at attention.

The woman looked somehow older to Usagi's eyes, it was as if the weight of the entire world was upon her shoulders. Seeing that Setsuna was waiting for some sign from her, Usagi said, "Pluto."

With her Queen's consent given Setsuna walked over to Usagi and went down on one knee and placed her head upon the other. "Forgive me my Queen. This was one of two future paths that the Timestream could have taken. I know not where this path will take us all, my future self is keeping me from looking ahead, I do know one thing though. You have never let us down. Even when the choices you make seem wrong to all others they somehow turn out to be the right ones. So I shall ever remain your loyal vassal. And I hope we can be friends as well."

The tears that Usagi had thought she had banished had returned to gently trickle their way down her cheeks. At least one of her Senshi still cared. With a grunt Usagi stood and placed a gloved hand on Sailor Pluto's shoulder. "Stand up Setsuna." Usagi waited until the woman did as she had directed. "I'm not your Queen yet, so quit calling me that. When and if I do become Queen there is only one thing I want you to call me and that is Usagi." Usagi then smiled, "After all, that is what friends do."

Setsuna smiled at Usagi's words for they filled her with a warmth she had not felt since the fall. She belonged. Before, she would show up whenever and give out only tidbits of information. She knew that this angered the others but she did not care because it was her job to be the Guardian. Besides, it would not be wise for her to form attachments again. That might lead to another painful experience like the one she had at the end of the Silver Millennium. Now though, as she looked into those blue orbs Setsuna realized that maybe having friends once more would not be so bad. "Right. Friends."

While Setsuna and Usagi were busy with themselves Earth landed next to his beloved. Seeing as Naru was in her normal form Umino realized that first contact had gone well. Coming up next to the now standing Naru he placed his hand on her shoulder to show that he was there. Though that gesture was pointless as she knew that through the link they now shared.

Seeing the new arrival Setsuna went back into business mode. "And who might you be?" Since he wasn't making any sudden or threatening motions she did not bring her staff to bear.

Earth shrugged his shoulders. "Right now I am Earth." He then triggered his reverse transformation. "But normally I'm Umino Gurio." Umino looked over to where Usagi stood and smiled at her look of shock. Giving a little wave he happily said, "Hi Usagi."

Usagi was seriously flummoxed. First Naru was a superhero and now Umino. It was just simply too much to comprehend. Deciding that enough was enough she held up her hands and made a "T" with them. "Ok time out. I'm starting to get confused. Why are you two Senshi?"

Umino shook his head, "We're not Senshi. As for what we are, well that is a long story."

Knowing that the story was one that Usagi would want to hear Naru made a suggestion. "Why don't we swap stories over a bowl of ice cream?"

At the mentioning of her favorite dessert Usagi's eyes lit up and she nodded her head vigorously. "Ok, we'll do that." She then turned to look at Setsuna, "You'll come won't you?"

Setsuna nodded her head. "It would be my pleasure. But might I suggest that Umino, being the last one to arrive, pay for all of us," she added with a smile.

Umino was about to protest when he saw not one but three very attractive women where giving him the sad puppy-dog routine. Needless to say he caved very quickly. With slumped shoulders he muttered, "Fine. I'll pay." To his joy he was then immediately repaid with a large kiss from his fiancé.

As the couple was smooching Usagi leaned over to Setsuna and stage whispered, "I didn't know you knew how to do that."

Setsuna looked at Usagi incredulously, "I might not deal with people that often but I'm still a woman."

Usagi folded her arms under her chest and nodded sagely, "Ah, I see." Then a thought came to her, one that totally ruined her previous image. "Um, how do we get down from here?"

ooooooooo

Luckily they did not have to ponder that question long because Setsuna was able to teleport them all to the ground below. From the alley Usagi used her innate ice cream senses to find the closest shop. Upon arriving Umino's wallet was quickly drained of most of its bulk. With their deserts in hand the group headed over to a table in the back of the shop so that their conversation would not be overheard.

Once everyone was seated and had enjoyed their ice cream a bit Umino spoke. "Since I paid for all this we will go first." The couple then proceeded to bring Usagi up to date on their lives. Between Naru and Umino they told their tale including how they got their powers. There was only one thing that he dreaded telling their friend and that was his engagement to Naru. Not because he was embarrassed but because he knew what kind of reaction that it would get from Usagi. "Last night we went on a date to celebrate our four year anniversary."

Naru took this opportunity to talk. "Oh Usagi it was so romantic. He took me to this club that I'd been wanting to go to. We ate and listened to people perform. Then he took me to the fair where we played some game while he guided me to the water. When we got there Umino rented us a boat and he rowed us out into the middle of the lake. The two of us sat there for a minute and then the most spectacular fireworks show stated up. While I was watching them Umino brought out this," with a flourish Naru held out her hand so that Usagi could see the engagement ring that Umino has given her.

As Umino expected when Usagi laid eyes upon Naru's ring she let of a high pitched squeal. "Oh my God! Look at that ring! You must be so happy." She then held out her hand which had a ring of its own. "Look at the ring Mamoru gave me . . . when he . . . he . . . proposed." At that thought she began crying again.

When the tears began to flow Setsuna was instantly into action. In a move that was uncharacteristic to those that knew her she placed her arm around Usagi's shoulder and pulled her into a comforting embrace. When Naru reached over an took one of Usagi hands in her own Setsuna nodded her head in thanks.

For his part Umino was confused. He had known Usagi for a long time and she wasn't the kind of person who would burst into tears at the drop of the hat. To get some kind of answer to his quandary he sent a message to Naru, "What's up?"

Without turning her attention from Usagi Naru replied, "I don't really know. When I found her she was like this."

Once Usagi became coherent once more Setsuna looked down at her. "Do you want me to tell them?

Though she knew that her friends deserved to hear the story from her Usagi just did not have the emotional strength at the moment. So she looked to Setsuna. "Would you mind?"

Said person graced her Queen and new friend with a smile and a comforting squeeze. "Of course I wouldn't." Turning to the expectant couple Setsuna told them of Usagi's recent mishaps.

As they listened to Setsuna weave her tale a look of shock began to grow on the faces of Naru and Umino. While they listened they kept an eye on Usagi to gage her reactions. What they saw was distressing. With every sentence that Setsuna completed Usagi collapsed a little bit more into herself, until she was doing a reasonable impression of a neutron star.

"So in conclusion Usagi is now a creature that the Senshi might fight and that fact was revealed in the worst possible way. The only Senshi that I know of firmly behind her is myself. What you have to ask yourselves is whether or not you can remain friends with a woman belonging to a species that is portrayed as unremorsefully evil." With that rather grave remark Setsuna stopped talking and all eyes turned to Usagi.

In voice devoid of any of the light it usually posed Usagi spoke to her one time friends. "I'll understand if you don't want to be around me any more."

Between Naru and Umino not a single word was spoken either telepathically or otherwise. As one they leaned foreword and looked into Usagi's dull blue eyes. "Usagi you are our friend," said Umino.

"We never gave up on you. Even when you stopped hanging out with us," Naru continued.

"So never give up on yourself. We haven't."

As her friends talked Usagi's eyes grew large. "They still want to be friends with me," her mental voice beamed. So in a sign that she was getting back to her old self Usagi lunged across the table and enveloped her friends in a crushing tear-filled hug.

With the situation to a happy conclusion Setsuna whipped her mouth of any residual ice cream. Confident that she had cleaned away all traces of the treat Setsuna stood and smoothed out her dress. This action garnered the attention of her companions who looked to her questionly. "If you'll excuse me I have a meeting I must attend."

Usagi's happy visage was replaced with a more fearful one but she started to get up so that she could accompany Setsuna. Her motion was halted by Setsuna's well-manicured hand on her shoulder.

"You stay here and get re-acquainted with the Naru and Umino. I will try and convince the others to see reason." Though her words were happy her tone conveyed the silent message, "Though I doubt they will."

Usagi smiled at her friend and squeezed her hand. "Be careful. Okay."

"Don't worry. They won't even get the chance to transform." With little piece of comforting news Setsuna left the ice cream parlor.

ooooooooo

In a room at Rei's shrine there was chaotic mess of voices as of the rooms occupants spoke their mind. At first there had been order while each person gave his or her insights to what had occurred a short while ago. That rapidly degenerated into the frenzy that was now occurring. It was into this frenzy that Setsuna appeared. In an instant all of the conversations stopped as the group mobbed the new arrival in their search for information. Unfortunately, Setsuna was not in the mood to be trampled so she teleported away from them and reappeared on one of the more comfortable cushions.

The group got the message and quickly sat down. Being the loudest and least able to keep silent in times of tension Rei was the one to question the arrival. "Okay Setsuna, spill it. Where did that Terra and Earth come from? And more importantly, what happened to Usagi? She was acting like some kind of monster!" Though the others remained silent each of them nodded in agreement with Rei's questions.

"As to where our new friends come from. They are from Earth and as such they have a vested interest in seeing the planet and its inhabitants treated as the Earth wants."

"I thought I represented Earth," asked Mamoru.

"At one time you did. As a member of the royal family you and the rest of the family represented the desires of the people of Earth during the Silver Millennium. But you did not represent the planet in the same way that we do as Senshi.

You see, during the Silver Millennium the people of Earth were looked down upon by the rest of the Solar System. Unlike other planets, say Mars. Everyone on Earth had access to Earth's power. As such individuals were less powerful than the mages of the Moon Kingdom but Earth's people were far happier."

"What do you mean Setsuna? I thought that the Moon Kingdom was a paradise," asked Minako. All her memories of day to day life back them will filled with happiness and joy.

"It depended on where you lived," said Hotaru quietly. All eyes turned to her and they saw that she possessed a far away look, like she was remembering life back then. "We Senshi were royalty. As such you never saw much outside the Royal cities. Neither did I, until I became Sailor Saturn that is. When you are royalty you are surrounded by servants and people who cater to your every whim. Once I became Sailor Saturn all that went away and I was treated like had some sort of disease. This made it much easier for me to get out and I was able to see the dark side that was kept away from us."

Needless to say there were some rather vocal protests on the parts of some the more hot-tempered inner Senshi. The outers, Haruka and Michiru, had already heard all this so it came as no surprise to them. Though they still didn't like that the "utopian" Moon Kingdom was not all that it was cracked up to be.

"Now don't me wrong. For the most part there was no slave labor. But a good deal of the work people did went to make the lives of those in the cities as comfortable as it could be. Out in the open land there were no Royal Guards and the people had to govern themselves. You must remember something, for the most part the planets were the same today as they were before humans used magic to make them livable. It was some harsh land and the people who lived there showed it." Of all the Senshi, save Setsuna, Hotaru possessed the most memories about the Moon Kingdom. One thing that stood out the most in her minds eye was that first day that she snuck outside the city's walls. There the recently ordained Sailor Saturn realized her true calling, to dedicate her powers and her life to ensuring that ALL people of the Moon Kingdom were treated fairly.

Setsuna looked at the youngest Senshi with pride. For too long had the girl been quiet and let the others dictate what she did. It warmed her heart to see Hotaru making a stand.

"So why was Earth so much better," asked Rei angrily. She did not like to hear that the idyllic Moon Kingdom was anything but.

Knowing that Hotaru had never gone to Earth Setsuna took up the conversation. "To begin with the was a far greater number of people who could use magic. That meant that the people of Earth were more able to live and respond to the planet. If a field was not producing a crop for some reason local mages could be called in to determine the problem and fix it. Another reason it was better was that the crime rate was near zero. As there were effective programs in place to deal with the root problems of criminal activity. Finally, instead of a single monarch ruling over the people Earth was run by a Council of Elders. The only reason that there was a Royal family was to give Earth a voice that the Moon Kingdom would find much more presentable."

When Setsuna finished Mamoru realized something. He had no right to rule the people. When he thought that Earth was ruled the same as the other planets the idea that he could be king seemed only right. This new information put that idea into serious doubt. "There won't be a Crystal Tokyo will there?"

Setsuna shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly. "I honestly have no idea." She the looked of in the direction of the ice cream parlor. "But if Terra and Earth have their way Crystal Tokyo will only be an ideal that we wished we never had."

At that Haruka stood, "I knew it! Quick Setsuna! Tell us how we can beat them."

"Well for one I don't know how. Even if I did I wouldn't tell you because they are no threat to the people of Earth."

"WHAT?! You bitch, they are a threat to Crystal Tokyo," yelled Haruka. "I thought you were all for protecting that."

"You are right. Crystal Tokyo would have been the culmination of all the work I have done for millennia. Now though, the future is closed to me. Sealed by my future self. Now that its guidance is gone to me I must rely the only source left to me, Usagi. It is by her will that future shall be shaped.

Now for your final question. Last night Usagi was assaulted by an artificial vampire known as a Freak. During the course of her rescue circumstances arose that led to Usagi becoming the newest vampire turned by Alucard. Before you ask Alucard is a Nosferatu and as such feared by both man and vampire alike. As a vampire Usagi now posses most of the powers attributed to vampires. To fuel her painfully acquired power she must drink blood, a resource she can procure without the need to harm innocents. Rei you are probably remembering the fact that Usagi was standing in direct sunlight."

In response to that Rei nodded vigorously. Though the fact that that her wards activated at the same time as Usagi was there was not far from her mind.

"You see part of the Serenity lines power was that they are descendants of God. This divine heritage protected Usagi from debilitating portions of the vampire effect. The result is that she essentially the same. I know for a fact that she can still partake of regular foods. All she requires blood for is to keep her vampire strength up." She sighed, "Now what each of you must do is ask yourself whether or not you can remain loyal to one that has been touched by the darkness." With that final statement Setsuna stood and made her way out of the room.

Right before she was completely out of the room Setsuna stopped. Without looking back she made one final declaration. "If you are wondering where I stand then know that I support Usagi one hundred percent. As for those who don't, well know this. If you attack her then I will take steps to insure that you will no longer pose a threat." With that statement lingering like some malodorous odor Setsuna left.

Before the others could make any sort of retort Hotaru stood abruptly. All eyes were immediately on her, "I know what it is like to be different. Usagi was always there for me and now I can return the favor." And with that she was gone.

To Haruka and Michiru there choice was clear. After the Galaxia debacle they were given a stern talking to by their Princess. As a result they vowed on both the Silver Crystal and their mantle as Senshi to follow the Princess and to never work unilaterally again. They also never wanted to see the look of total betrayal that they saw on Hotaru's face when she died. So, as one, they stood and followed their daughter out.

Now all that was left was the inner Senshi. One would think that they would be willing to overlook one minor flaw in the whole scope of Usagi's personality. But these were the Senshi, conditioned since their inception to fight evil. Now their leader and friend had become one of the undead. Their choice was not an easy one.

The first to leave was Minako. Seeing the startled look on her fellows' faces she waved off their concerns. "I haven't made my decision yet." Her look then became very grim. "You should all get some sort of religious emblem and wear it around your neck. Any will do, but I would suggest that you pick one that you have a lot of faith in. It makes them more powerful. I wouldn't count on them working on Usagi but they should help protect you from other Vampires. One more thing, if Alucard is here then you need to stay away from him. He usually wears a large red coat and hat. If you meet him don't do anything threatening. He might be fighting for humanity but he'll kill anyone who gets in his way."

"How do you know," asked Ami inquisitively.

"I've met him before," with no further explanation she left. At her heels was an equally serious Artimis.

Once they were out of earshot Artimis asked his charge, "So what now?" Though her actions the last few years have been a constant source of grief for him Artimis knew that it was her way of dealing with the terrors she had witnessed in England. Now it seems as if those old terrors have followed her and once more impacted the lives of those close to her.

"I want you to put your hacking skills to use and find were Hellsing is at. If he's here then that means that something big is going down."

"And Usagi?"

"I'll need to see for myself."

ooooooooo

In a darkly lit room a man awoke. As his eyes opened he breathed in deeply, it was the first time he had done such a thing in a long time. Then the reality of the situation came crumbling down upon him like a ton of bricks. He should be dead. In point of fact he should be a stone on his liege's mantle. Sitting up he saw that others of Endimyon's guard were also alive.

From the dark recesses of the room came a voice, "So. You are finally awake."

The man knew that voice all to well. After all listening to it for millennia has a way of making someone remember. "Beryl."

ooooooooo

Author's Notes: And that's it for Chapter 2. Sorry this installment took so long but quite frankly I had other things on my mind. For me, there was my yearly sabbatical from the rigors of collegic life. Also my laptop, Balthasar, suffered a tragic accident that resulted in his screen no longer opening with out the tortured cries of broken plastic. In a move to get money so I might procure a replacement I have stepped up construction of Dai-Guard. As of this time all preliminary construction is complete as I await certain components. If all goes according to plan, and ADV agrees (crosses fingers), I should have Dai-Guard resin models ready to sell by the end of this year.(2004)

The point to all this you ask? Well it was to show you the only reason that this took so long was that I am a busy person. The story is still on track and if all goes according to plan I should be writing the author's notes on the final chapter sometime in mid 2005.

As for this chapter, I am sure many find the lack of any real action to be disheartening. Also the fact hat the Hellsing characters play such a limited role up to now is a problem and I am planning to have more screen time for them in the next chapter. Oh and just so you know you might want ti check chapter 1 again. I have gone back and slightly tweaked the portion with Integra so that it is in line with Minako's past.

Now for a bit of news that will probably send many on you screaming in terror and sorrow. I have started working on my own original story that, upon completion will be comprised of several novels. Now I know that authors have said this and it has meant an ending to all work on fanfiction. That will not happen to me. Quite frankly it pisses me off when authors gain a fan base and are in the middle of a good story then they throw all that away for their own stuff. Well I intend to be writing fanfiction as long as I can. I find the difference of characters refreshing and it makes it easier to overcome any blocks.

All that being said I look foreword to the hearing your opinion and I sincerely hope you all are enjoying yourselves.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People.


	4. Hell Hath no Fury

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 3 - Hell Hath no Fury

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Once, long ago their existed a great kingdom that stretched to the edge of the Solar System. The nobility of this kingdom wielded vast powers both to protect themselves and to satisfy their own desires. From the outside this place seemed to be the epitome of goodness. But this kingdom was brought into utter ruin by the basest of emotions, jealousy.

The planet known now as Earth was separate from the rest and yet it seemed to define goodness much more clearly than their heavenly neighbors.

The figurehead of this Earthly paradise was the royal family. While they represented the people in matters of diplomacy they had little say in the political doings of Earth. As they had no real power the Royal Family was considered to be a neutral third party in world affairs. From all over the twelve kingdoms leaders came to them in order to settle disputes too divisive to be handled in the planetary council.

One such leader was the 1st Princess of a harsh, mountainous region of the globe. Her people reflected the harshness of the land and as such made terrific warriors. This woman had spent much of her formative years in schools learning all she needed to know to become a leader to her people. It was during this time that she fell in love with the Crown Prince of the planetary Royal Family. Though her passion for him blazed hotter than the Sun itself she restrained herself and wooed him slowly. Her actions had seemed to bear fruit, for after a ball he led her to his chambers and ravished her.

Shortly after the ball the 1st Princess had to return home to attend her parent's funeral and take up the mantel as leader. It had taken a little over a year to get the country running smoothly once more and during that time the Princess was unable to see her love in person. So when she had the time she composed letters filled with love that she sent to her beau. Finally, with the country in a state of stability she was able to go see her love. What she saw that day caused a wound deeper than any mortal weapon could hope to create. In one of the many gardens on the Royal Palace grounds the love of her life stood in a loving embrace with the Princess of the Moon. Heartbroken and confused she confronted the pair and saw no remorse or guilt on the part of her love. In fact those blue eyes, which had once been so filled with love for her, held no emotion for her what so ever. Seeing that she fled back to her realm in a tear filled rage.

In her icy castle the 1st Princess ranted and raged and pleaded with any God that would listen to help her gain her revenge. Unfortunately, for the people of the Solar System, something heard her pleas. From the deaths of space came a creature of utter darkness, one that fed off the life forces of lesser beings and loved to cause as much chaos and destruction as possible. The creature made a bargain with the distraught woman. A bargain that the woman never even hesitated making. And so, filled with power and thoughts of revenge Beryl crowned herself Queen.

ooooooooo

BANG!

BANG! BANG!

In the Hellsing shooting range Usagi Tsukino was practicing with her newest weapon in the battle against evil. This time the weapon wasn't some holy cup or yet another ridiculous looking wand. This weapon was a gun. Before becoming a vampire the thought of wielding such a weapon had not entered her mind. Now, with the knowledge that such creatures do exist and that the likelihood that they would stand still while she tried firing off one of her attacks as Sailor Moon was slim to none, the weight of her gun was welcome.

This practice with her firearm also brought a revelation. Though she had yet to make an edible meal other than curry her skill with a gun was unparalleled. After hitting the bulls eye several times with the gun she was given for personal protection, several of the Hellsing employees at the range gave her a more powerful weapon to shoot. They had thought that she had gotten lucky because the gun was so small. That belief was quickly put the rest as, no matter the gun, Usagi would always get a bulls eye without the use of her enhanced sight.

Finally though, the novelty of watching the happy-go-lucky young woman shoot guns wore off and the crowd of people dispersed. As they left, one person still stood their watching. Seras Victoria had been a young woman in the police force until the incident that ended with her joining the ranks of the undead. Since then she has had to walk the fine line between retaining what was left of her humanity and her more bloodthirsty side. It had taken a while to find the right balance but eventually she did. Now, with the creation of this newest vampire, Seras hoped that she could help Usagi find her balance much quicker and less painfully than she did. Also there was something about the young woman that seemed to draw in all those around her and make them happier. Unlike when she was first turned, Usagi had shown a remarkable willingness to train in Hellsing's procedures and her newly acquired vampiric powers. When Usagi finally stopped shooting Seras walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. Usagi must have been completely engrossed in what she had been doing because she gave a startled jump. As she tried to recover her breath Seras motioned for her to follow. The two women made their way off the range. Once outside the sound enclosed room Seras was shocked to see Usagi remove her ear protection. With her enhanced hearing, Seras preferred to keep hers on until she was well away from the range.

From the shooting range the pair began walking towards the area of the complex where Seras slept. Once they were well away Seras pulled out her ear protection, an action that Usagi noticed. "Why are you just pulling them out," she asked in English. Since she was one day going to be Queen, something that may never happen now, Ami and Setsuna made sure that she could understand and speak other languages, especially English as so many in the world spoke it.

Seras looked at her new friend and shrugged. "All the shooting does a number on my ears. Didn't it bother you?"

Usagi shook her head and smiled. "Believe me, I have lots of practice when it comes to ignoring what I don't want to hear." In her minds eye formed a mental image of herself several years ago sitting in Miss Haruna's class with her eyes wide open, yet the slight glazing was a signal to any that looked to what she was really doing, sleeping.

"Well that's handy." Now that the conversation was going Seras decided to ask her real question. "So, did you tell them?"

At that Usagi winced. "Yeah they know. Though I wish I could have thought of a better way for them to find out," she added sullenly. Seeing Seras' look of confusion she elaborated. "Did you hear about that monster attack two days ago?"

Seras nodded her head and then suddenly a look of comprehension formed on her face. She also began to fear that Usagi had left the compound too early.

"Yeah I was there during the attack. I had been using my powers, you know seeing what I can do. I guess doing that in the Sun was a bad idea because I got real hungry. When I heard the screaming I went to see what was wrong. As I got to where the monster was the first thing I noticed was the blood that was all over the place. It actually made my mouth water. Then one of the Sailor Senshi got a hit in that made the monster bleed. Seeing that free flowing blood made something in me snap. The next thing I remember is coming out f a daze with my fangs buried into the monster. I pulled away and that was when I noticed my friends and fiancé staring at me in shock. I couldn't take it and I ran off. Luckily I ran into some friends that I thought I had lost and they were able to keep me from doing anything drastic."

Hearing how Usagi's friends learned of her new situation made Seras wince. That was definitely not the way something like that should be discovered. "So have you talked to your friends or your fiancé since then?"

"I don't know what half of them, along with Mamoru, think. The other," that brought to mind the encounter she had with the Outers the day after the incident.

ooooooooo

In her room of the Tsukino household Usagi was asleep. Though it was mid day her parents had done nothing to wake their daughter up as she had spent most of the night awake as worry and the potent Youma blood kept her wide awake. Her sleep was interrupted by a knock on her door. Several years ago such a simple thing would not have woken her. Now that she was finished with most of the horrors of puberty she slept less and it was much easier to wake her, something her parents and Luna were most grateful for.

With bleary eyes Usagi sat up and looked at her door. "Who is it?"

The door opened and her mother's head popped through the gap. "Sweetie, some friends of yours are here." Though her voice was light there was a detectable sense of worry.

Immediately Usagi was fully awake and she was ready to trigger her transformation along with her new powers. If it was Naru and Umino her Mom would have said something. Since she said what she did Usagi knew that some or all of the Senshi were downstairs, possibly ready to fight. "What do they want?"

"Setsuna says that they only want to talk," Ikuko added hopefully. When her daughter told her and Kenji that she was Sailor Moon Ikuko insisted hat Usagi tell them everything. So, she knew that the most powerful of her daughter's Senshi were downstairs, possibly itching for a fight.

When she heard that Setsuna was with the others Usagi relaxed a little. She knew that the woman was on her side and would not bring others who were out to harm her. "Tell them I'll be down in a minute. I really need a shower."

Ikuko nodded, the fear she had felt was mostly gone. If her daughter was not worried then she would not be either. "Okay sweetie. You better hurry though, you don't want to make you guests wait too long." With that motherly statement Ikuko left her daughter to her own devices.

ooooooooo

In the family room on the first floor of the Tsukino home sat the four most powerful Senshi other than Sailor Moon. Three of which were VERY nervous. What, you may ask, could cause three battle hardened Senshi to fear for their safety? Was it because they feared that Usagi had turned her family in Vampires? Well there was a little of that. The main reason that the hair stood on the back of their necks was that Kenji, Usagi's father, was giving them the trademark father glare of doom.

Though they were at the Tsukino home to reaffirm their loyalty to Usagi and they had assured that it was not their intent to harm Usagi, her parents seemed skeptical. So they were quickly ushered into the Tsukino living room where they were given explicit instructions to remain while Ikuko went to retrieve her daughter. The matriarch of the house returned several minutes later and their eyes turned to the woman.

"Usagi will be down shortly." Though she was leery of having these people in her home Ikuko knew it was her duty to make sure that her guests were relatively comfortable. Seeing that Kenji was doing his best to make the young women as uncomfortable as possible she had to take up the slack. "Would you ladies like anything while you wait?"

Setsuna smiled at the woman, "Yes. If you don't mind I would like some tea." This earned her a shocked look from her comrades. "What? Usagi already knows that I am with her 100. You are the ones in hot water." Now that she no longer had the responsibility of actually knowing what the future held she could be a little more vocal than she usually was.

Hearing that at least Setsuna was in her daughter's camp eased Ikuko fears and she graced the woman with a smile. "Of course. And for the rest of you?" The other Outer Senshi were too shocked at Setsuna to hear their hostess's words and so Ikuko's question went unanswered. Seeing that they would be like that for a while she went to the kitchen to fix Setsuna's tea.

With Ikuko's vacating of the room the oppressive silence once more upon the Tsukino family room, the only difference was that Kenji's glare was now the other Outers. He still kept an eye on Setsuna but since she was in his daughter's good graces he did not have to direct the full force of his gaze towards her.

Several minutes after his beloved wife had left Kenji heard someone coming downstairs. Looking to the staircase he saw that his baby girl looked well rested and in good health, despite her quasi-undead status. As he took in what Usagi was wearing Kenji's fatherly instincts went into overdrive. From the looks of things Usagi had not thought her choice of clothing completely through as she wore a pair of tight jeans and a white shirt that was adhered to her skin in places where she had not thoroughly dried. In an instant Kenji's head turned in the direction of Haruka and what he saw made him pull out the glare that fathers reserved for boys who were looking at their daughter the way Haruka was. Now Kenji knew that said tomboy was in fact a fully functional member of the female species, the twin bulges that she sported were proof of that assertion. He also knew, from talking with Usagi and his own observations, that Haruka was a lesbian. But with the way she dressed, talked, and carried herself along with her lesbian tendencies made Kenji's mind file Haruka under the heading of boy. Before he could do anything to rectify the situation two things happened, one was that Ikuko had returned with Setsuna's tea, the other was Hotaru standing up and walking over to Usagi whom she quickly enveloped in a hug.

As she descended the stairs and made her way to the others Usagi was preparing herself for anything the Outers might throw at her. What she was not prepared for was her father glaring at Haruka or the Senshi of Silence walking up and giving her a great big hug.

As her frame was being held tightly by Hotaru's strong arms Usagi heard her whisper, "You will always have me as a friend." After that Hotaru continued the hug a bit more to emphasize her statement. She then broke the hug and guided the shocked young woman to a cushion next to Kenji. With Usagi firmly seated Hotaru took her place with her family. She sat in silence for a moment and when it appeared as if her parents were not going say anything Hotaru looked at them and saw that they were daydreaming. She knew that the way Usagi was dressed made her rather attractively, after all when one grows up with the Senshi certain tendencies tend to rub off. She may not a lesbian like her parents but she did have an appreciation for the female form. But she did know that one did not indulge in such fantasies as openly as Haruka was. "Ahem. You two had something you had to say."

With her daughter's statement Haruka shook herself from her daydream. Seeing that Usagi and her parents were staring t her Haruka did something rare for her, she blushed. As she felt the heat which inflamed her face Haruka cursed her hormones. "Yeaa," her voice cracked and she coughed to regain her composure. "Yeah. Look Usagi, we know that you've gone through a lot recently. And since our records have not exactly been the breast, I mean best, Michiru and I wanted you to know we are here." She would like to say more but she was unwilling to do so in front of Usagi's parents.

Hotaru took this opportunity to say something. "Usagi, I know what its like to have people afraid of you because they didn't know any better. I also remember that when I met you, you were as warm and friendly as can be and now I intend to return that favor."

Usagi smiled at their words. "Thank you guys." Her smile then faded into a look of apprehension. "Do you guys know what the others have to say?"

Michiru fielded this one. "Not really. I am sorry Usagi but we left before they made any decision."

"What she means is that they wanted to be sure that Hotaru and I knew whose side they were on," Setsuna stated flatly.

"Well after what you said do you blame us," asked Haruka. Seeing Usagi's puzzled look she clarified fir her Queen. "Before she left, Miss I'm so Cool and Collected here told all of us that if we tried to hurt you she'd do something about it."

At that Usagi gasped. She knew what Setsuna was capable of. As the Senshi of Pluto Setsuna had the ability to mess with time, with that kind of power she could erase a person from existence and no-one would be the wiser.

Setsuna looked a little put off. "I did not mean that I would wipe them from time. After all there are worst fates than nonexistence."

Everyone in the room looked shocked this statement. Usagi and her family were disturbed that Setsuna would be so blasé about such a horrible subject. While Hotaru, Haruka, and Michiru had that added to the fact that Setsuna was skirting the edge of a full revealing of their secret.

Seeing the looks her "family" was giving her Setsuna asked, "What? It is not like they do not already know."

ooooooooo

After that, the conversation focused on why Usagi's parents knew and how they came by the information. Haruka did not seem happy about it but she understood and trusted Usagi when she said that Ikuko and Kenji would tell no one. All in all the meeting was productive and it was good to know that she had half the Senshi on her side. "The rest of my friends are going stick with me."

"Well that's good," replied Seras. Before she could make any further comforting remarks Alucard walked out of the wall.

"Police Girl, Usagi. Be ready, for tonight we hunt. And Usagi, Walter needs to see you. He has your new guns." With his job complete he once more retreated to the shadows.

"Well come on. We shouldn't keep Walter waiting. Besides, I'm interested in he has cooked up for you."

As Usagi followed her new friend she was curious about something. "Why does he do that?"

Seras was jarred from her thoughts about Usagi's weapon and looked to her friend. "Does what?"

"Alucard is always calling you "Police Girl" while he says my name, why?"

"Oh that. To begin with it was his way of putting me down. But as time passed I've done things that have made earned some of his respect. I don't think he'll use my name until I've become free of him."

"Free," Usagi asked in confusion.

"She means from your servitude to me," came Alucard's mental voice.

"You see since the Master turned us we follow him. Normally he leaves us alone but if he does give an order we best follow it. The only way to be free of Alucard is to drink his blood." Seras turned away from Usagi and looked off into her memories. "He offered once. But I was trying to hold on to my humanity too much and refused it. If he offers again I think I would accept."

Usagi decided to leave that at that and the pair walked the rest of the way in silence. As they traveled the corridors of the compound the only sounds either of them made was when Usagi greeted those that they walked past. During her periods of silence Usagi pondered the look that Seras sported as she talked about Alucard.

Usagi shelved those thoughts as she and Seras reached the place were Walter was waiting. As she neared the aged butler/assassin Usagi cold not help but feel as he was examining her thoroughly. She also noticed that along with Walter was Alucard, who despite his outward countenance was interested in what the man had devised for his newest disciple.

"Greetings Miss Tsukino, Miss Victoria. As Alucard has no doubt informed you I have your gun, Miss Tsukino," he stated as he gestured to the box that he placed on the table before him.

To Usagi the case was quite large, big enough in fact to hold a large handgun or a small machine gun. "Why do I need another one?" After all the first day that she was at the Hellsing compound Walter gave her one of those harbingers of death.

"The gun I gave you was just for your personal protection. These," he stated as he opened up the case, "are for when you are out hunting."

Within the case was a pair of gleaming guns. Though both were of the same caliber and manufacture there were several differences. "What we have here is a pair of .50 Caliber Desert Eagles modified of course by Hellsing Arms in England. Both have been plated in pure silver, which has been blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The casing around the handles has been replaced by oak cut from a tree that has lived on consecrated ground for over a century. Each fires Hellsing special .50 Caliber hollow point bullets. These bullets are silver and upon entering a target's body fragment and release the small amount of holy water contained within.

Since you have your own personal seal, it has been engraved into both firearms. As you are not officially a member of the Hellsing Organization no mention of us is mentioned on these other than the cross within you seal." Walter the carefully lifted each gun out of their box. As he handed the on in his left hand to Usagi he said, "In tune with your style I have named this one Justice." He then handed the other one to her, "This is Compassion."

Usagi looked down at her weapons in awe. The gleaming silver was so highly polished that she could see her reflection in them. Along the outer casing of each was the elegantly engraved name that Walter had given each. Into the engravings was a black lacquer that made the letters stand out against the polished surface. After the gun's name was engraved what she could only guess was Walter called her seal. It was a heart that had a crescent moon above it and wings sticking out of either side. Inside the heart was engraved the Hellsing cross. All in all it was a rather cutesy symbol to have on a gun but she supposed it fit her. "Walter, why do you think this is my seal?"

Walter smiled patronizingly at her, "Come now Miss Tsukino. Do not think that I am unaware of your other persona."

Usagi was a little dismayed that so many knew her secret but she supposed it was to be expected. The feel of the guns in her hands were superb. She had not told anyone but the gun they had given her was so light that it gave her no comfort. Though it was her new strength that made it light she did not care. Now the guns in her hands, they had some weight to them. They actually felt like they could protect her. But something odd struck her, here she was a brand new vampire and she got to guns while Seras had gotten the Harkonnen. "Hey Walter, why do I get two guns? I figured I would get something like Seras."

"When Miss Victoria first was turned she was unwilling and unable to utilize her full powers. A stationary but high-powered cannon made sense. You, on the other hand, are fast, agile, and have a greater access to your Vampiric power. As such smaller weapons would allow you get among the enemy. There is one final detail." From the gun case Walter removed the hard, shaped foam that kept the guns from moving around. Underneath was a black holster, pulling it out Walter handed the piece of leather to Usagi.

As she put on her holster Usagi realized that she was going to need something to conceal both it and the guns it contained. Even though she had all the legal documents that allowed her to carry such instruments of death on Japanese soil having them out in plain view was a big neon warning sign. Luckily she knew of one-way that she could hide them. For her last birthday Minako gave her a long white coat with a hood on it. It was very light and absolutely perfect for her uses. Unfortunately it was in her closet at home. With that thought Usagi checked to see if her guns were loaded and then slid them into her holster.

Seeing as Usagi had her weapons Walter retuned the foam to proper place and closed the box that once contained her guns. "Now that business is out of the way please report to the garage. Your first sortie will be soon. This will be delivered to your residence." And with that he left the three vampires to their own devices.

With Walter gone Alucard left as well. Seras, who had been maintaining her distance due to Usagi's guns, walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You ready?"

"Yeah sure I am. This isn't the first time I've patrolled the city. How about I meet you in the garage. I've got to get something."

"Sure. I'll see you downstairs, girl." With that the young women parted ways. One left through the door the other through the shadow in the corner.

ooooooooo

As the woman named Beryl stood silently while she waited for the resurrected generals to awake her thoughts were rather gloomy. After her battle with Princess Serenity, Beryl had thought she would die but she was never allowed death's cold embrace. Instead she found herself alive, her wounds healed by Mettalia. As for the dark God, she was still alive though she was severely weakened. It was this lack of energy that freed Beryl's mind from Mettalia's dark touch. With her mind free for the first time since before the fall of the Silver Millennium Beryl was able to look around. What she saw had caused her to slip into a deep depression. As she had attacked the Moon all those years ago Beryl's only thought was to make them pay for their transgressions. Now she saw that her revenge had cost far too much. All the great societies in the solar system were gone, people and buildings replaced by harsh unrelenting conditions. Even Earth, her home, was changed. The once united world government was replaced by an organization that was simply a joke. People were fighting against one another, not for food or shelter but because of some religious notion of God. And the biggest horror of them all, magic, the lifeblood of the planet, was being denied to the people.

But Beryl's depression was short lived. Though she was free of Mettalia's mental influence she was not free of Mettalia. The dark God still existed and as long as she did she would always be a threat to her people. That was why Beryl was so ready to help Mettalia when she was once more able to communicate. And what was it that she wanted from Beryl, life energy. Knowing what Mettalia needed Beryl looked out to Earth once more. Japan, for the moment at least, was out of the question. Her forces were in no shape to face the likes of the Senshi. Luckily Princess Serenity's use of the Crystal had one other effect; it furthered weakened the walls between Mettalia's realm and Earth. This enabled her to open portals to other portions of the planet. One of the places scouted for a new point of energy collection was Great Britain

In this land everything was much darker than in Tokyo, a fact that was a boon to their operation. Also, there was something in Great Britain that would be very handy to their energy collection efforts. They were fast, strong, created an army with every victim, were damn near unkillable, and the best part was that they could blend in with the populous effortlessly. These creatures were known as Vampires. As they were, Vampires needed only slightest of modifications to make them into the perfect energy collectors. In their normal, unchanged, form Vampires drain the blood of Humans and use the life energy contained within to nourish themselves. Unfortunately they only fed when they needed to. But Beryl was certain that minor obstacle could be over come.

In the early stages of planning Beryl realized that they had to use magic as little as possible. So she had her operatives capture wielders of Earth's new magic, scientists. These men and women experimented on Vampires Beryl's Youma captured and through a combination of technology from the old Earth and the new they were able to create a chip that turned normal people into Vampires. These artificial Vampires had none of their brethren's weaknesses and they never got their fill. In this way they would feed upon as many victims as possible with the bulk of the energy being sent to Mettalia's realm.

These sudo-Vampires, otherwise known as Freaks, worked very well as energy harvesters. During their time in Britain Beryl's people made great strides towards their goal. Unfortunately a dark specter hung over the Britain operation and its name was Hellsing. With their Vampire servant, Alucard, Hellsing was able to slow the amount of energy gained. So, at Mettalia's order, Beryl made the announcement that they would move their operation to Japan. In doing so they hoped to escape Hellsing's grasp and begin Mettalia's revenge on those who wronged her, The Sailor Senshi.

That was why Beryl was standing watch over the four men that were lying before her. Either through incompetence or treachery each of these men failed Mettalia. Now, with energy reserves at an all time high the Dark God demanded that they be resurrected so that they could face the ultimate punishment.

ooooooooo

Walking down the streets of Tokyo were two exquisite young ladies. One wore a pair of loose jeans which concealed her well toned legs, a striped t-shirt that allowed all to see her tight stomach and emphasized her bust line, over this was a short jean jacket, and to top off the image of a tomboy trying to show that she was female a base ball cap adorned her head. While the tomboy was having trouble with whether she wanted to really look like a woman her companion was having no such difficulties. Her legs were encased in a pair of tight light blue jeans. Over her torso was a white sweater that covered everything yet at the same time drew men's eyes with the hope that they could make out her breasts. To complete the ensemble she had a long, hooded coat. At the moment the white hood was pilled back so that her short black hair was on display. The tomboy was one Seras Victoria and her black haired companion was none other than Usagi Tsukino.

Now one may ask why Usagi's hair looked so very different. Well the answer to that is a simple one. You see Usagi has many forms, one is that of an 18 year old woman getting ready to go out and have a life of her own. Another was that of the sailor suited warrior of love and justice known to all as Sailor Moon. Her final form was that of Princess Serenity, a bringer of light and hope to all. These forms all had one thing in common, her hair. The hairstyle that Usagi regularly donned was one that stood out like a sore thumb among he uniformity of the Japanese people. It was in this way that the powers she gained as Alucard's disciple came in handy. With her clear knowledge of who she was on the inside Usagi was able to change her exterior and in the process form a new identity. Now she was Serena, Vampire hunter. In this way she hoped to shield her family from any possible repercussions of her actions.

"Christ. This is the part I hate," Seras grumbled. Right now she and Serena were on patrol. It was the hope of the higher ups that with the woman's combined sex appeal they were sure to attract the attention of some bloodsuckers. Despite their reasons Seras would rather be shooting something. "How come you're so damn chipper?" While she was keeping up the happy-go-luck look so as to not runoff potential targets Seras knew that Serena was doing it because she was happy.

"Because this is so cool. Usually, when I'm out this late I'm on some roof. I like being able to walk around and see the city in a new light."

"I hadn't thought of it like that. You ready to go to the next area?"

"Yeah. There are no takers here. And I'm all dressed up," she pouted.

With that the pair headed down an alley. Unfortunately something was there for a blue light began to glow from the back of the alley. This caught the pair off guard and they decided to investigate. The light then began to move closer at a rate greater than their movement towards it. As it got closer Serena and Seras saw that it was an odd collection of used TVs, VCRs, and cardboard boxes. In several places rockets made out of paper towel tubes jutted from the structure. Seeing this made Serena calm down while Seras was just confused. Then from the darkness came a voice, "H0ld." The "robot" did as the voice said.

From the shadows hobbled a young man with wild brown hair, a severe expression, a Neverwinter Nights t-shirt, and a cast on one leg. "S0 j00 cr347ur3s of d4rkn3ss f3ll 1n m4 7r4p. N0w qu4k3 w17h 7h3 p0w3r 0f m4 ph34r b07."

At hearing this oddly phrased threat Seras got ready to defend herself. But before she could launch any attack her way was blocked by Serena's arm. "Serena?"

Said woman looked over at Seras, "Let me handle this." She then walked towards the odd man with arms open. "Ph34r n07 0 m1ghty w4r10r. W3 w3r3 s3n7 by th3 m00n ch1ck."

The man swept his hand through the air before him. "L13s! Sh3 d0n'7 w0rk w17h 7h3 und34d."

Knowing that this one needed more solid proof Serena changed to Usagi and made her sigil appear on her forehead. She then called on the Crystal and the ghostly form of Princess Serenity was superimposed on her own.

The man gasped and exclaimed, "7h3 m00n ch1ck!"

"Yes it is I."

"But you are of the und34d?" This situation horribly confused the man. In the past their paths had crossed. At first he had doubted her power what with her odd outfit and all, but after watching her in battle he realized that she had m4d sk1lz. With her being one of the enemy now shook the very foundations of his being.

Usagi smiled sadly, "Yes I am. But remember sometimes you must become the enemy to keep from getting your a$$ 0wnzd."

The man brought a hand up and rubbed his chin. "W1z3."

"Now I must warn you. The und34d are gaining strength. Some will appear as zombies, your m4d sk1lz should stop them. Their masters though are far more powerful. They also lack the weaknesses that their kind usually have." With the tiniest portion of her will Usagi directed the Crystal to make something. With a flash of white light a silver cross on a silver chain appeared in her hand. "Here, take this. I will give you some protection from the undead. If you see one of the masters beware for you lack the proper equipment."

The man took the cross and put it on. Though he usually did not wear such items he put it on anyway for one does not turn away a gift from the m00n ch1ck. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." Usagi then realized that there was one undead that she did not vouch for. "One final piece of advice, if you ever see an undead in a red coat and hat do not attack him. Despite his evil he is on the side of good." Letting go of the illusion Usagi returned to her hunter form, reached into her purse, and pulled out some cash. "Here, go buy yourself some liquid reward."

The man snatched up the cash and held it in reverence. "Sw347! B34r!" With that he and his ph34r b07 ran off.

During the entire exchange Seras stood rooted in place. She was seriously confused. Here was an obviously insane man and Serena was telling him everything and speaking in the same odd way as he was.

Serena looked over to her friend and saw her expression. "What?"

"What do you mean, what? Who was that guy and what language were you speaking?"

"Oh him? That was Largo. He fights undead and the forces of darkness in this area. When I first met him I thought he was crazy but later I saw him take out an entire army of zombies with his ph34r b07s."

"Those bloody things?! They don't look like they stand up to a hard rain."

"That's Largo for you," said Serena with a shrug of her shoulders. "As for what we were speaking, well that was just l337. My computer friend taught me. Comes in handy every now and then." She then started walking towards the shadows. "Come on, we've got Vampires to hunt."

ooooooooo

In her room Minako Aino sat in silence. Her mind was filled with many questions and all of them head back to one central fact. Usagi was a Vampire. All her life she had been conditioned, via television, that Vampires were evil creatures which were to be feared. This was reinforced by her experiences in England all those years ago. Now though, that thought has been cast into doubt by the simple fact that Usagi was one, yet maintained certain characteristics unique to humanity. Luckily Minako had a good head and realized that decisions of such importance could not be made without all the facts. Sure Setsuna told them that Usagi was fine but that was just her opinion. She needed to know from someone that had stood beside her in the battle with the undead.

Said person was just entering through Minako's window. Artimis the Cat was the closest thing that you could find to an expert on Vampires and the undead. For the last few days the feline had been keeping a watch on Usagi's home and the activates within. Luna was no help as the cat had gone to live with Rei as soon as she heard what her charge had become. Luckily all his good spying places were intact and he had been able to get a good picture of his target.

"Report," stated Minako simply. Now was not the time for pleasantries.

"Well I watched the house for the last few days and I must say that Usagi definitely doesn't fit the profile of your typical Vampire. To begin with I saw her eat several meals with her family and she was eating the same foods as everyone else. She has been sleeping more during the day but on several occasions I witnessed Usagi leaving the house in broad daylight. From what I can see her family is still human and have shown no signs of turning into ghouls. At night she either leaves through the front door or through a shadow in her room."

"So she can use higher level Vampire powers," she stated in mild shock. Normally such a thing is unheard of in Vampires so young. "Where does she go at night?"

"On the few occasions she has left through the door Usagi either goes to a friend's house or to a group of buildings in the warehouse district. The whole facility looks rather new and the guards all wear the Hellsing family crest.

"Great, they're here. I thought they would never leave their precious England," she said sarcastically. Becoming serious once more Minako looked at her advisor. "So how do you think we should handle this?"

"I think we should stay with her. That way we have done the right thing if she is good. And if she isn't then we are close enough to stop her," he finished grimly.

"Good idea. But before we join up I say we test her," with that Minako pulled out a gun. The only thing that set it apart from other weapons was the orange circle of plastic around the end of the barrel. "I think that holy water will be up to the task, don't you?"

Before Artimis could respond Minako's communicator went off. Picking up the device she saw that Usagi had sent out a general alarm. Even though it might be a trap Minako changed into her alter ego, Sailor Venus, and the pair rushed off. After all, the safety of innocents was their primary mandate.

ooooooooo

When Serena and Seras stepped from the shadows of a Tokyo alley they were treated to the sounds of people screaming in terror. Without thought they ran towards the source of the screams hoping to render aide. What they saw shocked them.

In the middle of the street stood a vaguely human female. In her left hand she held aloft a severed arm which she was drinking the blood from. In her other hand she held the body of a man who looked like he had passed out from the shock of having his arm ripped off. As the blood flowed out of the severed appendage and into the creature's mouth it rapidly lost any trace of humanity.

To Serena this wasn't so shocking as it was for Seras. She knew the look of a Youma well though the carnage and blood drinking was something new. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Seras move to pull out her gun. "Don't bother. Bullets won't stop that thing. Go help the people get away, I'll deal with our friend here." With that they split up, Seras towards the monster and Serena into the shadows.

ooooooooo

As she ran towards the beast Seras thought. "What in the bloody hell am I doing?" While Seras moved ever closer to the Youma she came across people who were either injured by the stampeding crowd or were the stampedes.

One body Seras came across already had someone working on it. The man was yelling into a cell phone. "I've got an injured woman here. Severe bruising to the legs and back. Possible internal bleeding. The child has several minor lacerations but appears to be in shock."

To Seras it looked like the woman and boy were related, possibly mother and son. As she was thinking this Seras kept an eye on the Youma. By now it in no way resembled anything remotely human-like. The big problem that she saw was that the blood flow was rapidly slowing. In a split second she made a decision. Addressing the man she assumed was a doctor she yelled, "See that guy! Be ready to help him!"

Without waiting for a reply Seras ran straight for the beast. Along her path was a manhole cover. With a sharp kick to the cover's edge it flew up into the air. As it was making its return arc Seras caught the round slab of metal. Brandishing the cover like a giant metal Frisbee, Seras hurled it towards the Youma's head.

When the manhole cover slammed into the Youma's head it made a very audible cracking sound. The result of the strike was that the Youma released its captive. In a flash Seras was by the man's side, carefully picking him and his arm up. Now that the man was firmly in hand Seras made her way back to the doctor. As she lay the injured man next to the doctor Seras saw the doctor's eyes widen in shock. Turning around Seras saw that the Youma was standing one more, the damage it had sustained completely gone.

The Youma turned to look at she who had injured it. When it and Seras made eye contact the Youma let off a monstrous roar.

At that Seras swore, "Damnit! Where the hell is Usagi?!"

ooooooooo

As Serena exited the shadows her form wavered as she returned to being Usagi. Looking around, she found herself on a roof overlooking the battle below. From her purse Usagi withdrew her communicator. Among the multitude of colored buttons there was one which had a large exclamation point engraved into its surface. This was the emergency button and upon depressing it a signal was sent out to the Sailor Senshi. As she pressed the button she hoped that everyone would show up, though the fact that the Inners may not weighed heavily upon her.

With her Senshi contacted Usagi returned the communicator to her purse and pulled out a small silver cell phone. Flipping it open Usagi quickly dialed a number. Holding it to her ear Usagi waited until someone on the other side picked up the phone. Confirming the identity of the person on the phone Usagi said only, "911."

Those two pieces of business done Usagi focused her will and she once more took the guise of Sailor Moon. Once the transformation was complete she jumped from her perch towards the back of the Youma's head.

ooooooooo

On this night Naru and Umino were on the Osaka couch engaging in some serious cuddling. As they sat they were watching the television. Currently the news was on. As people who knew a portion of the truth around them Naru and Umino had always watched the news for reports of battles between the Senshi and the forces of darkness. Now though, the couple had yet another reason to keep tabs on world events, what with them being guardians of Earth and all.

"And in global news. It seems as if Juban's newest defenders are getting around. A report by a Brazilian news group states that several hundred acres of rainforest have suddenly regrown. On lookers state that two people looking like TV's Hercules and Xena suddenly appeared and caused the clear-cut trees to sprout up." Any further information was cut short as the telephone rang loudly.

"Ugh! Who could be calling at this hour," moaned Naru.

"I don't know but we should get that before it wakes your mom up."

"Fine, fine, I'll get it," Naru grumbled as she removed herself from Umino's warm embrace. Walking across the soft carpeting of the Osaka living room Naru muttered the vilest curses she knew to whomever was interrupting her cuddling time. Picking up the phone she asked as civilly as possible, "Who is it?"

"Naru, is that you?"

Naru recognized the voice and calmed down. Usagi could call at any time. "Yeh it's me. What's up?"

"911." Click.

Naru knew what that meant. They had set up that code in the event something happened that required magical assistance. Hanging up the phone Naru turned to Umino who looked confused at her rapidly shifting emotions. "We've got trouble."

In an instant Umino was over the couch and at Naru's side. He opened himself up to the Earth and her people. "There is a large source of terror coming from ten miles north."

From the stairs came Hoseki Osaka's voice. "Honey. Who was that?"

Looking over Naru saw her mother standing at the foot of the stairs wearing a bathrobe and a concerned look. "It was Usagi, Mom. There's some trouble she needs help with."

Hoseki's concerned look only grew but she nodded her head. After they gained their new powers Naru and Umino had gone to her and told her everything. "You two be safe. You understand."

Naru quickly ran up to her mother and gave her a hug. "I'll do my best." With that Naru and Umino ran off into the night.

ooooooooo

"This isn't good," thought Usagi as she dodged a blow from the Youma. For the last few minutes she had been trying to harm the Youma. She used all the low level spells in her arsenal but they just bounced off the creature. She had yet to try any of her more powerful attacks, as they took too long to set up. The only thing she could do was use her strength to pound away at it with nearby objects.

As she dodged left and right Usagi was bound to make a mistake, and she did. As she dodged a particularly violent punch Usagi came down wrong on her heal. This caused her to stumble and fall on her ass. Her eyes went wide with fright as she saw the Youma take an iron bar that she had shoved into its shoulder and lunge for her with the bar firmly in hand.

As she cringed and waited for the blow to come Usagi began to realize that it was taking far too long. Slowly opening her eyes Usagi saw a sight that made her heart leap, for around the iron bar was wrapped a chain of glowing hearts.

The source of the chain was none other than Sailor Venus who was standing on the sidewalk straining to keep the Youma at bay. Seeing Usagi look at her with wide eyes Venus yelled, "Move it! I can't hold it all day!"

With a mighty leap Usagi hurled herself into the air then in an impressive display of acrobatics she flipped around and landed beside Venus. "You came! I was worried you wouldn't."

"Let's talk later." Venus turned to Mercury who had just shown up. "How do we stop it?!"

As her fingers flew over the tiny keyboard of the Mercury computer she heard a voice cry out. "World Shaking!" Looking up from her screen Mercury witnessed the yellow ball of energy streak across the way and slam into the Youma creating a mighty explosion. "Well that was pointless," muttered Mercury as her computer indicated that the creature was still alive.

While the Youma was engulfed in a cloud of debris Usagi looked over and saw Uranus standing with a triumphant grin. Next to her stood Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn. While she was happy to see some Senshi who were most certainly in her camp now was not the time for rejoicing. "Uranus! Pluto! Help Venus keep the Youma busy. Saturn! Neptune! Help the wounded." As she finished, the dust cloud dissipated enough for the Youma to strike once more. In an instant the Senshi were in motion once more as several attacks were hurled at the Youma.

ooooooooo

In a dark apartment sat a man. His black hair was disheveled and his face haggard. On his chin was the accumulated stubble acquired through several days of not shaving. In one hand he held a bottle of Jack Daniels. The other held a picture frame. Its glass was covered in cracks from when he had thrown it against a wall. Under the cracks one could see the man, in a much cleaner state, with his arm around the shoulders of a beautiful young woman with long golden locks. Between the couple was the form of a lively child with pink hair, her face locked in an eternal smile.

This picture was a symbol, of all that he had and of all that was now dead to him. For that was what the young woman in the picture was, dead. And with her death went the life of the child that had yet to been born though they knew her so well. Though she still walked amongst the living he could not bring himself to go to her. Everything that he was screamed to him that the woman he loved was now something unnatural, something to be feared and killed. Yet there still remained a part of him that begged him to go to her, to take her on his arms, and tell her that everything would be all right.

That part of him though had been slowly, and painfully, dieing in his tortured soul. The final blow was when he could not bring himself to go to her aide when she called for him. So, not caring what it meant for the future, the man let the picture frame fall from his fingers. And with that action, as others were fighting for the safety of all, Mamoru Chiba took a swig of alcohol and waited for the end to come.

ooooooooo

It did not take long for Sailor Mercury to figure out how to kill this Youma. Though it looked different, the Youma was internally identical to the one they had battled several days ago. Pocketing the Mercury Computer, Sailor Mercury made her way through the battlefield. There were several close calls but she was able to reach her fellow Senshi unscathed. Landing next to Venus she said, "We're going to need Terra and Earth. They are the only ones who can kill that thing." As she said that the light breeze, which had been making its way through the streets, began to pick up and become a fierce wind.

From up above the Senshi came a voice. "So. You need us again?"

Looking up Uranus saw Terra and Earth who seemed to be unaffected by the wind's fury. "How the hell do they keep doing that," she grumbled. Though she was a little miffed at their timing Uranus was pleased to see the pair.

Paying no attention to Uranus's question Terra walked off the edge of the building. As her body left the solid surface it did not fall. Instead it looked like she was standing on nothing but air, for that was what she was doing. Still on her invisible ground, Terra walked away from the building where she once stood and to a position right above the Youma. Raising her hands to the clouds above Terra summoned a tornado which engulfed the Youma and tossed it high in the air.

While the Youma was in the grip of Terra's powerful tornado Earth jumped down from the roof to the ground below. This time, when he landed he did not create a giant crater but instead he touched the ground like the falling of a feather. As others were forced to hold on to something Earth walked right at the maelstrom. To others it was if he were some sort of specter, for the fierce winds that whipped at others did nothing to him. Upon reaching the bottom of the tornado he paused and placed a hand on the ground. The ground then began to shake and the asphalt, which had been weathering the winds, exploded in a ten-foot circle. Into the twirling mass of wind flew the chunks of asphalt along with the ground beneath it. The twisting, twirling winds took the ground's offering and used it to kill the Youma like a mouse against a shotgun.

As the winds died down and the rock returned to its rightful place the Sailor Senshi could only stare in shock at the display of power that they had just witnessed. Sailor Saturn, showing that she had learned something from her papa, exclaimed in awe, "Fuck me." Those around her could only nod their heads in agreement as their eyes remained glued to where the tornado had appeared.

Soon though, the shocked silence that had descended over the area was obliterated by the squeal of ambulance sirens. To many of the Senshi that was a sign that they should be leaving, to Sailor Moon it was a trigger to remember that there was a critically wounded person nearby. So as other Senshi were running away she ran towards the man. As she reached him Moon realized that Venus was right beside her.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight until we talk," Sailor Venus said in response to Moon's questioning glance.

Sailor Moon nodded and turned to Saturn, "How is he?"

"I was able to heal him some but I can't re-attach his arm."

"That's ok. I'll fix it." With a mere thought the Silver Crystal appeared in her hand. Focusing her will through the Crystal, Sailor Moon's form changed to that of Princess Serenity. From the brilliant light of the Silver Crystal erupted a beam of energy that enveloped the man's form. The arm, which was sitting several inches away from the man, floated up and returned to its home. After several more seconds the light faded and the image of Princess Serenity gave way to that of Sailor Moon.

With the man healed and the other injured helped by Sailor Saturn the Senshi that remained ran off. After they had put some distance between themselves and the scene of the Youma attack the Senshi ducked into an alley to return to their civilian states. Moon and Venus were the first to change back followed by Neptune. All eyes turned to Saturn who stood with glaive out and ready. "I'm not changing back until I am sure that she isn't going to try anything." Her voice was a cold as ice and held the promise of pain should Minako attempt something stupid.

"Thank you Saturn, really. But please change back. I'm sure that if Minako was going to hurt me she would have already tried," stated Usagi. Her blind faith in her friends clear in the tone of her voice.

Sigh. "As you wish." Saturn then pointed the blade of the Silence Glaive at Minako's head. "If you hurt her they won't be able to find your atoms."

Minako gulped at the threat. She knew that Saturn would do as she had said. "Anything I do will not permanently harm her. But I must be sure of something." She then turned to Usagi and pulled out a silver crucifix and held it out at Usagi. "Please touch this."

Usagi reached out and took the artifact from Minako. Holding it in her hands Usagi began to examine it. "This is beautiful. How old is it?"

"Um four hundred." From its place of concealment Minako pulled out her gun and pointed it at Usagi's head. Before any one could stop her Minako began pulling the trigger and sending streams of water hurtling towards Usagi.

As the water began to hit her Usagi tried to shield herself. After all who would want to be shot in the face with water. Her arms though were a little slow and one rather forceful stream broke through her defenses and struck her in the eye. This caused Usagi to cry out in shock and pain.

In an instant Hotaru knocked the gun from Minako's hands and had the blonde pinned to a wall. "I thought I was clear!"

Before Hotaru could transform and do something Minako would regret Usagi's voice calked out to her. "Don't! She only hit me in the eye. I'm fine, really."

Hotaru heard what her friend had said and complied with her wishes but not before slamming Minako into the wall one more time. Releasing the now scared woman Hotaru growled, "What the hell were you thinking?"

"It was only holy water. I had to make sure that Setsuna had been telling the truth."

"And you thought shooting Usagi in the face with holy water was a good test?!"

"Yes it was," Minako answered viciously. "You don't know what its like to fight them. You were lucky, you had the Silence Glaive and friends that could help you. I only had myself and a talking cat. Do you want to hear how I found out that Vampires exist," she asked as she leaned in and, with a face full of hate and grief, stared into Hotaru's eyes. "One night, while on patrol, I heard a girl screaming. I went to rescue her and found a man drinking blood that was squirting from the stump that used to be the girl's neck. Nearby was the girl's head, tossed like garbage after he had ripped it from the girl. Can you guess who that girl was," Minako asked a horrified Hotaru. "SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND!"

After that outburst Minako stood back up and placed her hands on her hips. "So yes shooting Usagi in the face was a good idea. Had she been one of those sick bastards then I was doing us all a favor." Minako leaned against the brick wall and tried to regain her composure. She was not interrupted by anyone, as they were too shocked to make a sound. After a few moments Minako was well enough to speak again. Turning to Usagi she said, "I am so sorry I doubted you."

Usagi walked over and embraced her friend. "You were just trying to keep the others safe. Thank you."

Confronted with the depths of Usagi's forgiveness Minako could take it any more and broke down in sobs.

ooooooooo

High above where Minako was testing Usagi, Terra and Earth stood in silent vigil. Though those that they watched were far below, the couple's power of the winds allowed the pair to listen in like they were right there. Through the winds they heard Usagi's reconciliation with Minako to which Terra uttered, "Dammit."

The link that joined him to Terra told Earth what his fiancé was cursing. "Don't worry my love. I'm sure that she'll still be friends with us."

"But you know how much time she spends with them," Terra moaned.

"That was before. Now she knows that we know and that we can help her. She has no reason to stay away now."

"I hope you're right," Terra sighed.

ooooooooo

As the battle with the Youma occurred someone stood on top of on top of a building and watched everything. With every person hurt by the Youma the man felt that much worse. Why did he feel bad? Well you see he was the person that set the Youma loose upon the citizens of Tokyo.

"Damn you Mettalia. Damn you for making me do this."

"So you were the one who sent that monster."

The man whipped around and saw the form of the Vampire Alucard staring at him. "You!"

"It seems as if you know of me. Might I have the pleasure of your name human?"

"Jadeite."

"Well Jadeite, tell me why I should not just kill you where you stand for releasing that creature."

"If I didn't then she would have killed thousands of people."

"Explain."

"A Dark God is holding what is left of a proud people hostage. If my compatriots and I don't please her she will harm them as punishment. Now please. Let me go, I need to get a message to Sailor Moon. She is the only one who can help."

Alucard held out his hand. "Give it to me. I will make sure it reaches her."

Knowing something about the creature before him Jadeite did as Alucard directed. "Please, when you see her tell her that we are sorry."

"Perhaps," with that Alucard left Jadeite on the roof.

ooooooooo

As Usagi and her friends were walking towards the street Usagi jumped in shock. "Seras!" From her purse Usagi pulled a small device that she clipped to her ear. From the device extended an arm which was pressed against Usagi's jaw. Taping the earpiece once Usagi began to speak. "Seras? Do you read me, over."

A few seconds later Seras' voice came through the line. "It's about bloody time! Where the hell are you?"

"I'm in an alley with some friends. Where are you?"

"Right now I'm hanging around the site of the attack."

"Ok. I'll be there in a bit. Serena out." She looked at her friends and saw their confused expressions. "Serena is a name I cam up with when I'm hunting." She then willed her form to shift and Usagi was once more Serena, the Vampire Hunter. "I wonder why Rei and Makoto didn't come," she stated as she walked out of the alley.

Minako blinked at Usagi's transformation but aired on the side of caution and did not ask. Instead she answered Usagi's question, "I don't know. When I left the last meeting they looked pretty confused."

"Well I hope they sort things out soon. If only so the people are protected." That's what really disturbed Usagi about Makoto and Rei's absence. It was just wrong to punish innocents just because Usagi was different now.

"Speaking of protecting," stated Minako as she looked at "Serena" through the corner of her eye. "What do you know about our two new super powered fighters?"

Serena did not look at Minako. "Much more than you do. And before you ask, no I won't tell you anything about them. They trusted me with their secret and I won't betray that." She was silent for a few moments then, "But I can ask for a meeting."

"That would be great. So who is this Seras?"

Serena shrugged her shoulders, "She's a friend that I work with." A thought then occurred to her. With it now lodged in her mind Serena stopped and looked Minako in the eye. "Seras is not human. But she is my friend. So you better keep your bag of tricks to yourself."

Minako knew what meant, Seras was a Vampire. Despite her loathing of the creatures Minako nodded to Serena, "I will." With that the group began walking towards Seras's location once more.

ooooooooo

Rei Hino was exhausted. Ever since the meeting when she learned that Usagi, her best friend, had undergone a profound change Rei spent all her time knelling before the flames of the Sacred Fire. For all that time the Fire did not bestow any knowledge upon her. So now she was before the Sacred Fire, her robes drenched with sweat and her body at the fine edge of its limits. Never before had this happened, when she looked into the Fire in times past she managed to coax something from the chaotic mass. Now, it was as if the Fire was like any other instead of retaining its mystical properties. Finally, all her doubts about Usagi, all her worries that she could not see a thing in the Sacred Fire, all that went away as she slipped into the blessed relief of unconsciousness.

Later Rei felt herself lying down. From the comfortable nature of the surface she was on Rei guessed that she was in her room. As she opened her eyes Rei saw the kindly form of her grandfather. "What are you doing here," she asked softly.

"Just looking over a young woman who was passed out in the Fire room."

Rei blushed in embarrassment. "I passed out?"

"Yes you did. Now are you going to tell your Grandpa why you are so troubled?"

"I....can't. You wouldn't understand." There was no way Rei could burden her Grandpa with her problems.

"Try me."

Rei sighed. Sometimes her Grandfather could be so stubborn. But if he wanted to subject himself to her problems then maybe he could help her sort thing out. "Do you believe that Vampires exist?"

"Of course I do." The shock at the speed and assuredness with which he answered her was shone on her face. "What? Did you think I would have said no? Rei I have been a priest for a very long time. In my younger years the older ways were viewed more favorably. During those days the forces of darkness were far more open with their activities. On several occasions my talents were called upon to aide warriors who faced the darkness. One or two of those battles were against Vampires, though their kind is rare in these parts now. Why do you ask?"

Rei looked away from her grandfather. "Someone I know, she, she was bitten by a vampire."

Grandpa nodded his head slowly, "I see. And you think this somehow affects your relationship with this person?"

"Well wouldn't it? She's a Vampire," she shouted in anger. Her ire was not directed at her Grandfather per se but at the world in general.

"So?" He saw that Rei was getting ready for one of her big outbursts so he placed a hand on her arm. "Rei, just because something is created evil does not mean that it is. The few times that I was called into battle against Vampires it was because some punk had gotten turned and was causing havoc. Yes Vampires are, by their nature, creatures of evil but it all depends on who the person was before they were turned. If they were good and pure they are less likely to do evil things. Now tell me, who was bitten? It was Usagi wasn't it?"

Rei stared at her Grandfather in shock. "How did you . . .?"

"Know," he asked with a smile. "Rei there are few people that would get you this worked up. Usagi is the only one that is around enough for you to find out about."

"So what should I do?"

"First I would take a bath if I were you," he said as he waved his hand in front of his nose. "Then I would take this," with that he held out her communicator, "and call Usagi. She's probably wondering where you were at during that last attack." His wise features then transformed and became lecherous, "And hurry up. This old man misses the exquisite look of so many pretty legs." With that final statement the old man was up and away with the speed of a man many years his junior.

Rei just stared at the spot her Grandfather had vacated. Her mind was filled with shock at the implications of what he had said. For all intents and purposes he admitted that he knew about her time spent as a Sailor Senshi and was ok about it. It was then that all the conflicting emotions of the past few days came together and Rei began to laugh uncontrollably.

ooooooooo

In an apartment sat a young woman. This woman was Makoto Kino. Unlike her friend Rei, who had not heard her communicator due to the fact that she was meditating, Makoto had heard the chirping of the small device. In point of fact the communicator was sitting on the table before her. Instead of jumping to the call for action Makoto had chosen to ignore Usagi's summons. She knew that there were probably people in danger but the Outers were probably handling it. Makoto's reason for ignoring the communicator, Usagi was a Vampire.

For other members of the superhero group known as the Sailor Senshi Usagi's newly acquired Vampiric nature was a problem that most had been able to overcome. Makoto though, was having much more trouble reconciling the fact that her friend was now a member of the undead. Now you may ask the question, "Why was she having so much trouble?" Had Usagi not been the first friend Makoto had made when she had transferred to Juban Middle School? Didn't Usagi do everything in her power to make Makoto's life a brighter place? Was it not Usagi the one that had brought Makoto back from the dead on several occasions? To Makoto Usagi meant so much that she was willing to die to protect her friend and princess. So why was she now having a problem.

The answer was a simple one, Religion.

You see after her parents died Makoto was sent to an orphanage, a Christian orphanage. That does not mean that such a place is bad just because it is Christian that is just the place where she learned to cope with her parent's loss. About religion it is said that the strongest believers are those that are converts. Before her parent's death Makoto had never thought of religion but afterwards she became deeply indoctrinated into the Christian faith. It was not long before the grief and rage over her parent's death resurfaced and she left the halls of the orphanage. During her brief time there, many of the facets of the Christian dogma were engrained into her by the very charismatic priest that was at the orphanage during that time.

The stuff that really stuck with her was the Christian viewpoint about magic and the nature of evil in its multitude of forms. When she had first become a Senshi Makoto had faced a deep spiritual crisis. I mean here she was a magic user, for all intents and purposes a witch. In the end though she came to the conclusion that the yearning in her soul was correct and despite the magical nature of her job she and her fellow Senshi were doing the Lord's work by vanquishing evil. After coming to this conclusion Makoto decided to keep her faith to herself, especially in the light of Rei's Shinto background. Now though her service to her Queen was being call into question by the fact that Usagi had, whether by accident or design, joined the ranks of the Undead. As such, in Makoto's mind, Usagi was now in the service of Satan.

She knew form her time in the orphanage and then later as a Sailor Senshi that evil was a very powerful force. With the addition of Usagi to its ranks evil had gained a truly powerful ally. So powerful in fact that she would be unable to go into battle against her former leader. So, as Makoto reached for the phone she made her decision. Only one-person was holy enough to combat this new evil. Luckily, he was compassionate enough to give her a number to reach him by should he ever need to talk. Letting her fingers glide over the surface of the keypad Makoto dialed the number that she had been given. After a few moments someone picked up the other side and asked who she wanted to contact, "Please connect me with Father Alexander Anderson."

ooooooooo

Author's Notes: Well that is it, another chapter in the can. What do you guys think so far? As I have not gotten many comments I can assume not many people have liked the story so far. "Shrugs." Oh well. To those faithful few that have continued to this point I have good news, I'm not stopping. As you read this I will have already been working on chapter 4.

A word of warning though. The next two chapters will probably be released slower. This is not because of any writer's block related issue. No, my time of year is rapidly nearing, that's right Christmas. During this time I am quite busy putting up decorations, shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Yet do I complain, HELL NO! Christmas is my favorite time of year. It is the only time that I see people act nice to one another. And if you haven't tried it I suggest buying someone a gift and giving it to them. In my experience the giving is the best thing about this time.

Back to the story. Some of you have expressed concerns over who Usagi will ultimately end up with. Several have suggested the tried and true Mamoru option, others have suggested Alucard. For you Mamoru fans this chapter has made that paring less likely, hasn't it? But don't get your hopes up Alucard fans. As far as I'm concerned those are two people who should not be paired up. Either Usagi's light will leave Alucard burnt or Alucard's darkness will extinguish Usagi's light. Right now I am leaning towards either Usagi being single or getting together with Rei but probably more towards the former than the later.

As for Makoto's religion. I can't remember if they had said something or not about this in the anime or manga. But for the purposes of this work she is a Christian. I felt that this would be the perfect way to get Father Anderson into the picture. And this would not be a Hellsing story without Father Anderson. He might be a religious zealot and a grade A nut job but he is one of the coolest priests I've seen and I get the feeling that he means what he says instead of just playing lip service to the word.

And before I get any flack for anything said about a particular religion remember this, I was never really that deep into Christianity, then some hypocritical bastards really turned me away from most organized forms of religion. Now I follow a path that teaches harmony with my fellow man, that all roads lead to God, and that I should point out those things that I take issue to. If only so that I can get a clearer understanding of what something means.

All that aside I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue reading in the future.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	5. Father Anderson I persume

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

ooooooooo

The No Life Queen

ooooooooo

Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 4 - Father Anderson, I persume.

ooooooooo

Silence. It is a sound that can be so loud that it seems to swallow you whole. That was the sound, or rather lack there of, that descended upon the group gathered in a room of Hikawa Shrine.

Why were they at the Shrine you may ask? Well, Usagi had called a meeting. A matter of great importance had come to her attention and she needed to contact all those who were willing to help her. Rei's shrine was the perfect place to do this, especially after what had occurred yesterday.

ooooooooo

As she approached the doorway to the Tsukino home Rei Hino was nervous. She had dressed in one of her best outfits and was bearing a tray of double chocolate chip cookies. They might not be up to Makoto's unreasonably high standards but they were hand made and Rei hoped that Usagi would accept them. Now normally Rei does not like to do such things, her time was better spent caring for the shrine grounds and school but for today she was more than willing to cook as much as she could. It was her hope that the cookies that she carried would be a suitable offering to regain her dear friend Usagi.

So now here Rei stood, staring at the cold unfeeling obstacle that barred her way into the Tsukino home. It had taken her several minutes of just standing in front of the door to work up enough courage to ring the doorbell. The sound of the bell caused her to jump in her nervous state and she was just ready to bolt when the door opened to reveal the smiling visage of the Tsukino matriarch, Ikuko.

"Oh Rei! What are you doing here?"

It might have been her nerves talking but Rei swore she heard an undercut of warning in Mrs. Tsukino's voice. As if she wanted Rei to know that if her visit was for anything other than making up with her daughter then there would hell to pay. "Um, I'm just here to see Usagi." There was silence for several seconds until she remembered the package she was carrying. Then with get speed Rei held out the box of cookies and gave a nervous, but hopefully reassuring smile. "I brought cookies."

In a flash Usagi appeared at the door, a line of drool making its way down her chin. She was wearing a pair of pink pajama's that had bunnies situated all across its surface. Her hair, which was normally so neatly brushed and arranged was a great tangled mess. And though she was awake there was still evidence of sleep in and around her wide-open eyes. All in all Rei could say that she had just woke up Usagi with one of the few things that could stir the young woman's slumber, even after the rigors of puberty had finished with her, and that was sweets.

Wiping the drool away Usagi leaned in to smell the box, as the wonderful smells entered her delicate nose Usagi could only moan in desire. She had to have those cookies and she had to have them now. Usagi looked up at Rei, desire clear in her eyes, "Are those for me," she asked hungrily.

Though she knew that the moan and Usagi's tone of voice was from the cookies, Rei could not help but feel a little warm and she hoped that no one noticed the blush that had suddenly appeared on her cheeks. Not trusting her voice all Rei could do is nod. Luckily it seemed as if Usagi had not noticed Rei's discomfort, as she tore the box from the woman's fingers and helped herself to one of the treats inside.

As her daughter ate the cookies with the manners of a wild animal Ikuko looked at Rei. She saw the young woman's blush at Usagi's antics but paid it no mind. "Would you like to come inside Rei?"

Hearing her mother's voice broke Usagi from her cookie-induced ecstasy. Hoping that the sweet delights that she was holding was some sort of peace offering Usagi asked, "Do you want to come to my room? That way we can talk in private." If there was one thing she knew about Rei it was that her friend did not like to discuss personal matters with an audience.

"That would be great Usagi." Rei then noticed Ikuko's odd look. "If that is ok with you that is."

"I don't know," replied the Tsukino matriarch wearily.

"Oh don't worry Mom. I'll keep some shadows in my room." Usagi knew her mother knew about her newfound powers, including her ability to walk through shadows.

"Okay Usagi," Ikuko said reluctantly. She did not like the thought that her daughter would be alone with someone who could possibly harm her. But Usagi was a young woman and had to chart her own course in life, even it leads to a rocky shoal.

Usagi gave her mother a smile. "Thanks Mom!" She then grabbed Rei's hand, and with the cookies in her firm grip Usagi dragged Rei to her room.

If one were to look into Usagi Tsukino's room they would have to question the age of the room's owner. In several places there were signs that a young adult was living there. The plastic furniture of youth had given way to the rich wood of adulthood. Yet there were stuffed animals all over the place. Her bedspread was covered with stars, moons, and hearts. All in all it seemed as the room's occupant had multiple personalities; one that was a child, the other an adult.

Into this oddly decorated room flew Usagi, with Rei being dragged like a rag doll behind her. Once they both were in Usagi quickly closed the door and then carefully sat the cookies on the desk. It was then she noticed that she was still in her pajamas. "Can you excuse me for a second Rei? I need to get changed." Usagi did not wait for a reply as she headed over to her closet to put something on.

Though Usagi had placed the closet door between her and Rei she still ended up giving her friend a strip show, courtesy of the mirror on the wall. For her part, Rei tried to look away. Really, she did. But the sight of Usagi changing froze her in place. "Damn it Grandpa. Why did you have to say all that stuff?" Ever since her conversation with the elderly shrine keeper the thoughts and feelings she had tried so hard to suppress have been rearing their ugly head. And now, thanks to them and Usagi's actions, both downstairs and right now, have placed her in the wrong frame of mind to do what she needed to.

Hearing Rei say something Usagi poked her head around the door. "Did you say something?"

Not trusting her voice at the moment Rei shook her head. As her head moved she caught sight of something glittering on Usagi's desk. Reaching out to inspect the object Rei discovered it to be a ring, and unless she was mistaken it was an engagement ring. The question was, why would Usagi take it off?

As she finished changing Usagi walked out of her impromptu changing room. Before she could say anything she saw what Rei was holding and her smile drooped a little. Not wanting to think about the significance of the ring at the moment Usagi tried to refocus Rei's attention. "So, why did you come by?"

Luckily Usagi's ploy worked and Rei's attention shifted from the ring to her mission. "Usagi, I came here to apologize." Seeing the questioning look on her friend's face Rei pressed on. "I didn't come the last time you called and I'm sorry." She sighed and looked down at her hands in shame. "After Setsuna told us what happened to you I was so confused. I didn't know what to do so I decided to pray for wisdom from the Sacred Fire. For the next few days I meditated but the fire never spoke to me. After three days my body couldn't take any more and I passed out. I guess I must have forgotten my communicator in my room because I never heard it go off." Rei then leaned towards Usagi and took her friend's hands in her own. "Please Usagi," she pleaded, "you must believe me. I swear if I had heard it I would have come. If only to save innocents."

Rei's actions really disturbed Usagi. Usually the young shrine maiden did not perform such displays. Rei was the type to keep such feelings bottled up.. Hoping to comfort her friend Usagi squeezed Rei's hands. "I DO believe you Rei. I know how you get when you're talking to the Sacred Fire, and that's just when you are trying to confirm something. I can't imagine how you must have felt."

Rei gulped, here she was, her face a few inches from Usagi's, her eyes looking straight into Usagi's blue orbs. This was a position that she had imagined while in the safety of her room. For it to be happening in reality was almost too much to bear. So, Rei did the only thing she could do, she pulled away. "Um, there was something else I wanted to say, and that is that I'm with you. No matter what happens I'll be there for you."

Usagi smiled and grabbed Rei in a hug. "Thank you. Thank you Rei." As she pulled away Usagi began to grow afraid, for the conversation she thought she had avoided came back with a vengeance.

Now with her original task completed Rei had the opportunity to ask about the ring she found. Holding the band so Usagi could see it, Rei asked, "Usagi, what is this?"

"It's a ring," replied Usagi as she made a move to take the ring.

Seeing what Usagi was attempting Rei pulled back, thus removing the ring from Usagi's reach. "I know it's a ring Usagi. What I want to know is what kind of ring is it and who gave it to you," Rei stated as she folded her arms under her breasts.

Hearing that Usagi sat down on the bed, her shoulders slumped. "It's an engagement ring," she said hollowly. "Mamoru gave it to me."

Now normally Rei would be happy for Usagi and though she was not as romance starved as other Senshi she would have been asking Usagi for all the details. Today though things were different. From Usagi's tone it was obvious that something bad had happened. Moving from her chair, Rei sat down beside Usagi and put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "What happened?"

"He. He gave me this ring night I was turned."

Rei paled at that. She knew how flighty Mamoru could be and Usagi's condition was just the sort of thing that could send him running. "So, have you talked to him?"

"I don't need to. I know that he's left me for good this time," Usagi said as she wiped a tear from her eye. Luckily so many other things had been occurring recently. Had her breakup occured at a time when nothing was happening she might have broken down several times instead of the one time the night before.

"This is not like her," thought a worried Rei. Normally when something like this happened Usagi would be inconsolable. Now though she was being unusually calm. "How do you know? You haven't talked to him." It was Rei's hope that this line of thought would give Usagi a renewed sense of confidence in her relationship.

"I don't need to talk to him Rei. I know that he and I will not be together again."

"How," Rei demanded defiantly.

"I could feel it," Usagi shouted back. "I could feel his anger, his confusion, his disgust. I could feel it all. Then I felt nothing. He took a bond that we had kept even in death and broke it." As she talked Usagi's voice changed from the strident tones of yelling to a sorrowful whisper.

"Oh. Oh God Usagi. I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" While she thought that beating Mamoru to a bloody pulp would be a good idea Rei imagined that Usagi might want something else.

"No, I'm fine." She turned and looked Rei in the eyes. "But thank you though."

Rei gulped and to her it seemed as if the temperature had been increased by several degrees. But as she looked into Usagi's beautiful blue eyes, which sparkled with unshed tears, Rei knew that this was a golden opportunity to voice her feelings. "Um Usagi. You should know that if you need ANYTHING that all you have to do is call me. I'll try to get to you as quickly as possible." Though she had chickened out and not said exactly what she had wanted Rei hoped Usagi got the message.

Usagi smiled and brought a hand up to cup Rei's cheek. "I know Rei. I've known that ever since Galaxia. As you I died there in my arms I heard you wish that you could have told me how much you loved me."

Rei was shocked, "She knew all this time," she asked herself in confusion. "But why didn't you say anything?"

"It wasn't my place. I knew that someday you would tell me so I made sure that when you were finally ready I would be there to hear you."

Rei smiled at that. "Thank you." She then realized that she had a problem. Usagi knew how she felt but the opposite was true. "So. Um, where do we go from here?"

"I don't know Rei. I have thought about this a lot since then. And with what happened with Mamoru I have come to realize that I really don't know what love is. Please can you give me some time to figure it out?"

Rei nodded her head quickly, "Of course I can. At least I know that you are considering being with me."

Usagi smiled. "Hopefully I won't keep you waiting long." She then became pensive, "Um, if I decide that we can't be together do you think we can stay friends?"

Rei barked out a laugh, "Usagi I was willing to go the rest of eternity not telling you. When I thought you were going to end up with Mamoru I was happy because I knew you would be." She took Usagi's hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze, "If I can do that then I can handle just being friends."

"Thank you so much." With that Usagi enveloped her friend in a hug.

Before Rei could say anything clapping rang out from the shadows. "Excellent, excellent. It warms my heart to see such an endearing display." From the shadows stepped the form of Alucard, an odd smirk adorned his face. "At least it would if I still had a heart."

In an instant Rei placed her body between Alucard and Usagi. She grit her teeth in pain as the evil that this creature emanated overwhelmed her senses. Despite her pain Rei stood firm, a ward held in place between her outstretched fingers.

Seeing her friend place herself in a very dangerous position Usagi reached out and grabbed Rei. "Rei don't do anything. It is just Alucard. He's the one that turned me.

At hearing that Rei got even paler, if it was even possible. She had heard the warning that Setsuna gave at her shrine. Setsuna wasn't one to give such a warning, so when she did it was only prudent that one listen well. So, with the utmost care and subtly, Rei slowly lowered her arm and hid behind Usagi. From her spot of apparent safety Rei squeaked, "Sorry."

For his part Alucard paid Rei no mind, she was just a human. She may poses great spiritual power but she was nothing compared to his greatness. His problem was the way that his newest disciple referred to him. Never, even in the distant past and another life, had he been referred to as, "Just Alucard." Grown men, people of power, all feared the very mention of his name and yet this woman talked about him as if he was any normal person. In some small way it was refreshing. Sure he reveled in the fear. In fact he drank it in like a fine wine. But the occasional innocent was something to be cherished and looked forward to.

Looking at her master Usagi was puzzled, he had never appeared and said so little. Usually, when Alucard showed up he would say his peace and then would fade once more into the shadows. Now he just stood still and remained silent. "Alucard," Usagi asked questioningly, "are you alright?"

Without even a shake of his head Alucard cleared his mind from his shock and looked at his disciple. "Quite so." From the recesses of his red coat the Vampire lord withdrew a rectangular envelope. "Several days ago I encountered an unusual man. He gave me this letter to give to you. He also wished for me to give you a message, he said, "Tell her that we are sorry.""

Usagi looked at the envelope held in her master's hand in confusion. She knew of no man that would apologize for both the actions of a group that he was a part of and himself. Taking the envelope from Alucard, Usagi saw that Sailor Moon was written on the front in an elegant script. On the opposite side there was a wax seal. The emblem within said seal was unknown to the young woman.

"Hey Rei. Do you recognize this symbol?"

Rei looked over Usagi's shoulder and eyed the pressed wax for a moment. After a minute of thought nothing came to mind. "Sorry Usagi," she said with a shake of her head, "I don't recognize it."

Usagi shrugged her shoulders, "Oh well, we'll find out in a minute." With that, Usagi slid her finger through the envelope and broke the seal. Inside was a simple sheet of white paper that had been folded three times. Quickly unfolding the paper Usagi found that it was quite blank. Before she could comment on it the paper erupted in golden light. After a few moments the light was reabsorbed into the paper and formed the text of the letter.

In her life Usagi had seen many different applications of magic. This though was the most appealing to the child within her. As she read that child-like wonder vanished and was replaced with shock and horror.

Rei, who was reading the letter along with Usagi softly exclaimed, "Fuck me."

Along with Usagi and Rei there was one other that was reading the letter. As his disciple read Alucard could not help but find humor in the whole situation. To think, the same people that his master hunted so vigorously were the same group that brought down an entire empire, then millennia later were stopped by five schoolgirls. The very idea was so humorous that Alucard could not help but have an evil laugh over the whole affair.

ooooooooo

Several hours after receiving the letter from Jadeite Usagi headed out to talk to Umino and Naru. The time that had been spent shortly after reading the letter was very hectic. Alucard's laughter scared the crap out of her and Rei. Their screams of fright coupled with the demonic laughter brought Kenji Tsukino who burst through the door with a baseball bat to protect the young ladies. It was then that introductions were made and Usagi's parents finally got to meet the man that changed their daughter's life forever.

The next few hours were spent in deep discussion between Usagi and Rei as they decided to do with the information they received. Rei thought the whole thing to be a trap and wanted to get the rest of the Senshi in on this so that they could put a stop to this menace once and for all. Usagi had agreed that in all likelihood the letter was a trap but she also knew that there was a chance that it was not. In her arguments she pointed out the fact that Nephrite had gone good before the end. If he could do that then there was a chance that the others could have as well. Also there was the matter of the civilization that Mettalia was currently holding hostage. If what the letter said was true then they must be saved.

Finally, a truce was called and the pair merged the two plans into one cohesive whole. They would tell the Senshi, they had a right to know. But instead of telling them now they would wait so Usagi could consult her new allies and try to bring them into the fold. That way both groups would work together as one unified whole.

At least that was what Usagi hoped as she walked towards the Osaka home. But Usagi knew that it was easier said than done. For some strange reason Naru did not like the Senshi. Oh, she was fine with Usagi and pledged that their friendship was eternal but the others she did not like at all. Usagi hoped that she would be able to get through to Naru and make her friend understand that now was not the time for animosity, the Senshi desperately needed their help to win the coming conflict.

So, as she neared the Osaka home Usagi readied every argument she had and by the time she reached the front door she was confident that she could convince the couple. With her mind set for battle, Usagi reached out and knocked on the door.

She only had to wait a few seconds before the door opened to reveal Hoseki Osaki. "Usagi," she said in a surprised voice. "What are you doing here this early?"

"Is Naru and Umino around," Usagi asked hopefully. "I need to talk to them."

Hoseki shook her head. "I'm sorry dear. Umino just came by and took Naru off on a date."

Usagi's shoulders slumped and she sighed. "Well do you know where they went? It's really important that I speak to them." Normally Usagi did not like to interrupt people's dates but today was an emergency.

"Well Umino mentioned that they would be going ice skating and then out for dinner. If you hurry you might be able to catch them at the rink."

Usagi smiled, "Thanks!" With that Usagi made all due haste towards her destination.

ooooooooo

As Usagi searched the streets of Juban ward for her friends in another portion of Japan a meeting was taking place. Within one room of a plain, but well guarded, building Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing sat behind a large wooden desk. Her elbows rested on the desk's surface and her hands were steeped in front of her face. For a great many things Sir Hellsing was a patient person and waiting for her servant Alucard to report was one of those things. He had gone to Usagi Tsukino's residence several hours ago to deliver a letter from a person only known as Jadeite. Now Integra knew some about this person from the files that she was provided by the Japanese government but alas, they were woefully incomplete. It was her hope that Miss Tsukino could shed some light on this person who apparently could summon the creatures that have plagued Tokyo of late.

Eventually Alucard appeared before her in his usual fashion. As soon as he did Integra barked out, "Report!"

"What? No hello or how are you, my master," Alucard asked mockingly. Integra might be his master and he might even respect her but there were few that he was actually respectful to.

Integra slammed a white-gloved hand on the desktop, "ALUCARD!" One of the things she did not have tolerance for was Alucard's antics.

At that the vampire's more jovial attitude vanished. Walking towards the Hellsing leader Alucard stopped right before her desk, the light from overhead casting shadows on his face. "I delivered the letter as was requested of me. From what I learned from Usagi and one of her acquaintances this Jadeite is a general of an army that brought down the Moon Kingdom that the Sailor Senshi originally came from. Usagi and her group then defeated this army several years ago. Though thought to be dead this armies' leader, a woman known as Beryl somehow survived. Under the orders of a dark god Beryl set up an operation in England designed to further the energy absorption goals that they had started in Japan. Instead of using creatures that would have signaled their enemies, the Senshi, Beryl had her scientists devise an energy harvester based on a creature they found in England, vampires. The freaks that we have been battling are just the newest weapon in a war that has been occurring for millennia. Now the generals were once under the control of the dark god are requesting the Senshi's aide in freeing themselves and the people that are being held hostage by the god." He then smiled evilly, "It seems my turning of Usagi was good for us," his eyes were lit with mirth. "I would almost call it fate. If I believed in such nonsense."

Integra sat back in her chair. Though her face betrayed nothing, inside she was in shock. "Who would think that these freaks were a part of a war older than recorded time," she thought to herself. Alucard was right though, this alliance with Usagi was most fortuitous. It could have taken forever to stop the freaks had they not encountered the young woman. Now the question was how to proceed. "Suggestions?"

"I think we should continue our operations, hunting down the occasional freak. All the while we wait for the main characters in this production to take center stage." Alucard leaned in and place his hands on the table, his eyes locked in with Integra's. "And then, my dear master, I shall have my fun." At that he began to laugh evilly.

ooooooooo

It took a bit of doing but Usagi had finally been able to find her wayward friends. Like Hoseki had told her, Umino and Naru were at the skating rink but what she saw shocked her. In the center of the ice the young couple skated, their thoughts seemingly focused on the other. For the next ten minutes Usagi watched as the couple danced on the ice, performing maneuvers that even pros would have found difficult. It was one of the most awe-inspiring and beautiful displays of love she had ever seen. Finally, to the disappointment of all who watched, the couple stopped and headed off the ice. Their audience, deciding that Umino and Naru could not leave until they were properly thanked, began to clap, much to the couple's embarrassment. Usagi greeted her friends at the edge of the ice, with tears in her eyes. "That was so beautiful!" She then grabbed her friends in a hug.

As Usagi hugged them Naru and Umino looked to each other for help. Though she might not look it Usagi was very strong and her vampire enhancements made her all that much stronger. Finally Naru was able to tap her friend on the arm. "Usagi," she gasped out.

Said young lady looked to her friend and saw the rather blue color that was seeping into Naru's face. Immediately Usagi realized what was wrong and released those she held in her grasp. The pair fell to the ground as Usagi was bowing in apology.

Once she caught her breath Naru spoke, "Usagi, really we're fine. But if you don't mind can you help us over to that table?"

Usagi grabbed hold of the hand that Naru had stretched out and after a few moments everyone was sitting at a table and the skates were put away. "Ok Usagi," said Umino. "What's up? Naru and I are on a date you know." Not that he really minded. If there was one thing that never changed about Usagi it was that she was a sucker for romance. She wouldn't have interrupted something like a date without good cause.

"I know! And believe me, I'm sorry," she replied as she bowed once more. "But I've got something important to talk to you two about." She then realized where she was and looked around. Seeing that they were surrounded by people who could overhear something Usagi looked at her friends, "Um, can we go somewhere else. It has to do with Naru's old boyfriend."

Hearing that caused a spike of shock to pierce Naru's heart, in her life she had only loved two men to the point that Usagi would call them her boyfriend. One was the gallant knight that she was now engaged to. The other was one of those dangerous types that young girls fall for before they realize what they really need in life and this guy was as dangerous as they come. He had been a general in an evil army but his love for the younger Naru caused him to part company with his compatriots and in the end he ended up dying in an effort to save her life. "Nephrite?"

Usagi nodded quickly.

Seeing this made Umino scared. Naru had told him about the man that she fell for all those years ago. Even though they were now engaged and bonded to the very core of their souls Umino could not but feel terrified. He remembered something he had heard on TV, "Girls never forget their first love." Not only was Nephrite Naru's first love he cared enough for her to give his life up to save her. And if Usagi was bringing him up now meant that the general was back.

Luckily, one of the gifts that Naru and Umino had been given by Terra was the ability to feel their counterpart's emotions. Though she was shocked that Nephrite was still alive she could feel the fear that was in Umino. Sensing its cause Naru took her fiancé's hand and tried to fill him with all the love that she had for him. Yes, Nephrite was her fist love and as such he would always hold a special place in her heart. But Umino was her soul mate. When she had been with Nephrite she had been happy but when she was with Umino, even before they met Terra, she had felt complete. As if he was the part of her that was missing.

With Naru's love filing him up and reassuring him Umino felt strong enough to go on. "You're right Usagi. This is not the place to talk about this." His hand never leaving Naru's, Umino stood and waited for the girls to get up. Umino did not have to wait long and soon the trio was off.

As they walked Usagi realized that she had no idea where they were going. She wanted to ask the people before her but they seemed too wrapped up in each other to hear her. So for the next few minutes the trio walked. Eventually their destination became evident to Usagi as they neared a local park. Not stopping at any of the benches or tables, Umino and Naru continued towards the back of the park were the foliage was quite thick. Following a route that they only knew, the couple led Usagi through the plant life until they came to a small clearing. There, Umino and Naru sat down and Usagi quickly followed suit.

Before Usagi could say a word Naru held a finger to her lips. Seeing that Usagi got the message Naru nodded to her fiancé'. In response Umino placed his right hand on the ground and closed his eyes. Several seconds later the air at the clearing's edge began to shimmer. Once he was done Naru settled down and smiled at Usagi. "There. Now we can talk."

Usagi looked at the shimmering field in awe. "What is that?"

Umino smiled and folded his arms across his chest. "I just made a wall. That way we can see someone coming but they can't hear what we are saying until they are in the bubble. So, what's up?"

Usagi sighed and began to tell her friends what she learned from the letter sent by Jadeite. Her tale lasted a good while, as she had to fill in the parts of the history that the others did not know. Finally she came to the part that worried her the most, their cooperation. She got that they really didn't like the Senshi for some reason but she hoped they would put aside those feelings for the sake of everyone. "Now for why I'm here. I need your help. You two are the only ones whose magic will work on these new Youmas. I would like you guys to work with us Senshi as a group." Seeing the look of disgust that flashed on Naru's face shocked Usagi but at the same time confirmed her suspicions. "Why do you hate us?"

"We don't," started Naru but she stopped and shook her head. "Listen Usagi, I don't have a problem with you. I don't even have a problem with the concept of the Senshi. My problem is with the people and what they did to you."

"What they did to me? What do you mean," she asked in confusion. Sure some of the others, Rei and the Outers in particular, had caused her grief but even they had their reasons. With Rei, it was because she was trying to hide her true feelings. The Outer's reasons were ones of loyalty to the mission.

Naru looked at Usagi with wide eyes, "You don't know? Those people took you from us. After you became Sailor Moon you changed. You stopped hanging out with us. Every day you got more and more distant. It was like the entire weight if the world was on your shoulders. And for some reason you didn't tell us, we were your friends and they convinced you not to talk to us."

"But I was trying to protect you."

"From what! The enemies that you fight? That didn't work well now did it? Look at us. Every time Umino and I went out some damn monster from the depths of hell would show up and drain us dry. How were we protected? We weren't! Had you told us, had you confided in us we could have helped. We could have helped you keep your secret. You would have had someone who had no stake in anything, someone who only cared weather or not you were ok."

Usagi watched Naru with wide eyes. As she spoke Naru went from raging anger to tear filled whispering. She had never thought about it this way. In all her time as a Senshi Luna and the others stressed the point that they should not tell anyone about their secret. Sure, there had been times when she would have liked to tell her friends but she held back because she knew that she would put them in danger if she did so. "Naru I. I didn't know," she sadly replied.

"And now that you do, what are you going to do about it," Umino asked as he held Naru. While he really held no grudge against the Senshi he hated what it did to Naru.

The next few minutes were quite as Usagi planed her next statement. "Ok, we were wrong. These last few weeks prove that." While it was comforting to have her parents know she couldn't tell them everything. With the people before her and the ones at Hellsing she didn't feel alone in any way. "Here's what I suggest. Tomorrow I am going to have a meeting with all the Senshi that will come. If you come we'll have a full disclosure weather they want to or not. You are my friends and allies, you deserve to know who we all are."

Naru and Umino laughed at that, much to Usagi's confusion. "Ha ha ha. Oh God Usagi. Ha ha. You should see yourself," laughed Naru.

"Why are you guys laughing?" Usagi feeling were a tad hurt at her friend's laughter. Here she was, trying to make a real alliance, and her friends were laughing in her face.

"It's not you Usagi. Heh heh." Responded Umino. "It's just that you haven't been too good at keeping your secret. Naru and I've known for years who you all are." At that Umino could not speak any more as he was once more absorbed into laughter.

Usagi gasped. In all her time as a member of the Senshi she had thought that she and the others had been able to keep their secret pretty well. Now her friends were telling her that they had known for YEARS! "How?"

Naru had calmed down some was able to answer that, "You really weren't that subtle Usagi. Sure your disguise field changes your face but that is all. It is like you are a group of Clark Kents, hiding behind a pair of stupid glasses." Seeing the look of incomprehension on Usagi's face Naru tried to clarify what she had said. "Think about this Usagi. Every time you turn into Sailor Moon what is it that changes? Your clothes right," as Usagi nodded Naru continued. "How many people in Juban do you think have long blonde pig-tails and trip a lot. Or short blue hair and is really smart? " At that a look of comprehension began to form on Usagi's face so Naru pressed on. "And what about the fact that almost every time we got a new student there would be a new Senshi. What about how for some strange reason every person in your little group of friends has the same build, height, and hair color as one of the Senshi?"

While she was getting all that Naru was say Usagi could only sit on the ground in shock. They had gone to such great lengths to keep their other lives secret and yet at the same time they had been practically exclaiming, "HEY! LOOK AT US! WE'RE THE SAILOR SENSHI!" She shook her head in disappointment, "We were so stupid," Usagi said dejectedly.

"No you weren't," replied Umino as he shook his head in the negative. "You were just looking at things from the inside and that blinded you to other avenues. Now that you know, you and the others can do things differently in the future."

"You're right," Usagi said brightly. "We can do things differently. But I wouldn't mind some outside help," she added hopefully. With that she held out her hand to Naru.

Naru looked at the outstretched hand for a moment before looking Usagi in the eyes and smiling. "Then you'll have it," she said as she shook Usagi's hand.

ooooooooo

As Usagi and her friends wrapped up their negotiations someone was taking their first steps on Japanese soil in many years. Several years ago he had been attached to an orphanage in this country full of pagan worshipers. During that time he was not well received. Even today Japan was a xenophobic country and the more you looked like everyone else the better. Of course when you are seven feet tall and talk with a thick Irish accent you are bound to stand out among the rather homogenous people of Japan. As such he was not treated with much respect, something that he did not grow accustomed to. Where he came from people treated men of the cloth with respect, even if they were not good God fearing folk. So, for the bulk of his assignment to the orphanage he stayed within the walls and away from the outside.

It was at the orphanage that he met a young girl by the name of Makoto Kino that he really connected to. She had recently lost her family in a plane crash and was filled with rage towards the world. This fire, coupled with her above average height, drew him to her and he decided to take the girl under his wing. Through his help Makoto learned the word of God and as such gained a measure of peace. But while her fire was tempered it was still there, waiting to strike out at any who provoked it. And provoke it the other children did, so he decided that she needed something more than the word to calm herself. It was he that started Makoto's interest in the martial arts and like her learning of the word Makoto took to this new training well. But sadly all things must come to an end and the Vatican called him back to Europe in order to combat the rising vampire threat. Before he left though he gave Makoto a means of contacting him should she ever need his help.

For many years all that he received from Makoto was the odd letter letting him know how she was doing. Several days ago though he got a call from Makoto. She sounded despondent, apparently one of her friends was bitten by a vampire and now all her other friends were being influenced by her. Seeing as the levels of vampire activity had dropped dramatically he was able to come to her aide.

And so, Father Alexander Anderson was once more in Japan. As the Vatican was its own city-state it was able to arrange diplomatic immunity for its agents. Since Father Anderson was one such agent he was able to get through the customs inspectors with his arsenal of swords. This meant that he was able to get through all the beurocratic nets in a very short time and within twenty minutes of stepping off his plane he was in the airport lobby. As he neared the entrance Anderson saw a rather tall young woman holding a sign with his name written in perfect English. He smiled as he saw that the woman was none other than Makoto Kino herself. Though she had grown up into an exquisite flower of feminine beauty Anderson could still see the fire that burned brightly within her green orbs.

Makoto was getting bored, she had been standing in the airport for over an hour waiting for her savior to arrive. After some time the board declared that Father Anderson's flight had arrived from Europe. Her heart then began beating quickly in anticipation. Rei had told her about the meeting Usagi was planning for the next day and she figured that would be the best time to strike. Usagi's guard would be down and Father Anderson's would be able to purify the others while ending the new Vampire's tortured existence. After the board signaled Father Anderson's arrival in Japan Makoto did not have to wait long for him to appear from the dark recesses of the airport's interior. The tall man stood out against the crowd of people. His face held some scars that were not there when she had last laid eyes on him but on the whole he was still the same handsome man that she had remembered. As a girl she had a crush on this mountain of a man and now it seemed as if time had not dulled those feelings, for a blush made itself apparent on her cheeks. When their eyes met Makoto could not help but waive like an idiot, as if he had somehow not seen her.

Seeing Makoto's waive, Anderson returned one of his own. Making his way through the throng of people was difficult but soon he was able to reach the young woman. As he reached Makoto, who now held the sign at her side, Anderson enveloped the woman in a hug that hid her from all the people around. "It's good tae see a'ye again, Makoto."

Makoto pulled away from Anderson and smiled, "It's good to see you too, Father."

"Lass ah have ae way out o' ere'. We've much tae discuss."

"I've got a car for us." She then winced as something came to her. When she bought her car for her baking business she had barely been able to fit in it and it was the biggest one she could afford. Now, as she looked at the man who towered above her she realized that there was a good chance that he wouldn't be able in fit in it. "Um, there may be a problem with the car."

"How sae?"

"It might be too small for you," she replied apologetically.

Anderson smiled and waved off Makoto's apology, "Dena worry lass. Ah am more flexible than ah look."

Makoto blushed at the other way what the Father had said could be interpreted but said nothing and smiled instead. "Well then let's get going."

With a nod Father Anderson gestured for her to lead, "After ye, lass."

The next few minutes were spent in silence. Both took that time to compose their thoughts and wonder at where the time had went. Finally Makoto arrived at her apartment and after some looking she was able to find a spot to park the car. As they exited the vehicle Makoto was treated to the sight of Father Anderson uncoiling himself, when she had seen him get in the car at the parking garage she could only stare in shock at the sight of the huge man sitting comfortably in the passenger's seat. Now, she shook her head in disbelief and wondered what kind of exercise she would have to do in order to be that flexible.

Inside the apartment Anderson sat his bag on the couch and promptly joined it. The flight from Europe had been a long one and tiredness was settling itself in his bones. But before he could get some rest he needed to know the whole situation. "Okay Makoto, tell me everything."

Makoto plunked down on the couch opposite from Father Anderson with a sigh. Over the next few minutes she filled Anderson in on everything that she knew, including the information Rei had given her when she had come by. She even let him in on her secret of being a Senshi. The whole time she spoke Makoto felt as if she was living in some sort of Twilight Zone. What she was saying to the priest sounded like something out of a horror movie. She just wondered what was going through Father Anderson's mind, as his gaze betrayed nothing.

As he listened to Makoto's tale Alexander became more and more interested. He too had heard of the Sailor Senshi, the Vatican kept careful track of all things magic. From what he knew the Senshi were a group that worked to fight demons and those who sent them. On several occasions the Vatican had sent investigators to determine the nature of the power that these Senshi wielded. Each time, the investigators returned with tales of great heroism and assurances that the powers that the Senshi wielded were allowed by God. This was backed up by his own senses when Makoto transformed for him. What the Vatican records did not have was any mention of was this Silver Millennium and the rich past that went along with it. At the same time, he could not doubt any of what Makoto described, as he detected no trace of deception in her.

When she began to talk of the reasons for her call Alexander began to pay extra close attention. The revelation that the demon Alucard was the one who changed Makoto's friend was a shocking one to the warrior-priest. He had dealt with Alucard's brood before and they had proven most resilient, more so than your average vampire. If this Usagi was able to walk amongst the living while the Sun was still in the sky then she was the most powerful Vampire ever to be turned.

Also troubling was Alucard's presence in Japan. If he was here then that thrice-dammed Hellsing was not far away. For them to operate so far removed from their beloved Britain meant something was up. Hellsing's presence in Japan was odd in another way as well, it correlated so well with the nearly complete cessation of Freak activity in Europe. Now Anderson might not like Hellsing but he did know them well, and if his suspicions were correct then they had tracked the Freaks here.

"That's everything Father," Makoto finished with a sigh. "So what do we do now?"

"To begin with we shall rest. Ah am most tired from my journey. Tomorrow ah shall accompany yea to yea meeting. There ah shall deal with the daemon."

ooooooooo

Seeing as the Hellsing organization was working with the Japanese government to put an end to the Freak menace that was now plaguing the island nation they were privy to a great deal of information. A part of this information was who arrived at all the major airports. The amount of information was staggering and there was an entire section of Hellsing dedicated to filtering through this torrent to find anything of value. The night that Father Alexander Anderson arrived in Japan one of the many computer techs saw his name and flagged the information to Sir Integra's butler/assistant/assassin Walter. As the data came across Walter's computer terminal his eyes widened slightly. "Oh dear. This does not bode well." It could never be said about Walter that he was loudly outspoken and these few words could have counted a curse from the aged man. The last two encounters between the Vatican's enforcer and Hellsing's forces had resulted in the deaths of many good Protestant men.

With careful and methodical precision Walter printed out the data he received and added it to the file for the person in question. Gathering up all the documentation Walter glided over to Integra's office. Upon entering he was treated to the sight of his mistress reading through reports as she engaged in her habit of smoking.

Hearing someone enter her office caused Integra to cease reading the report from the shooting range and focus her attention on the room's occupant. Seeing that it was Walter, Integra's guard lowered and she went back to reading the report. As she did so Integra silently counted the seconds that she knew would take Walter to come to a stop at his usual spot in front of her desk. When that count down was finished she spoke, "Yes Walter?"

"Sir Integra, please forgive me for the interruption. There is something that has come up which you should know about."

Integra returned the report back to the pile with the other and looked at her subordinate. "Report."

"We have just received information from the Japanese Department of Coustoms. Today at Narita Airport there was an arrival that had Vatican Diplomatic papers. I am afraid that it was our old friend Father Anderson."

"Damnit," exclaimed Integra with a pound on the desk. "Does the Japanese Government have any information on his business here?" If Anderson was in the country then they would need all the information that they could get their hands on. Of all the foes that Hellsing has faced in the past Father Alexander Anderson was among the most dangerous. Not only was he a regenerator, someone who can heal any wound to his or her person, but he was also a holy man. This meant that all of Hellsing's standard weaponry was useless on him.

Walter shook his head apologetically, "Only that he was here visiting a friend. Seeing that he had been posted here in the past, this could be true."

"It also could be a cover to get him in the country," she finished angrily. She sat in silence for the next few minutes going over their options. At least they were in Japan, far away from the thrice-dammed Vatican's iron grip. "I want you to put the compound on alert. Make sure that all our troops are informed about Anderson's unique "gifts." Make sure they understand that, in the event they encounter Father Anderson they are to report in and retreat. We have lost too many men to this bastard, I do not want to lose more.

"As you wish, Sir Integra," acknowledged Walter with a bow. The aged assassin turned and left the room so he could carry out his master's wishes.

As her office door silently closed Integra heard Alucard's voice speak out from the shadows. "So. The Vatican's assassin is here. This is interesting."

"What are you going to do about this," though she was his master Integra did not have a tight hold on her vampiric servant. Many times Alucard proved to be so unpredictable that he was useless in any sort of operation. The more she knew concerning Alucard's plans the better off she would be.

"For now? Nothing. With Anderson here all the pieces are set. Weather or not he shall be removed is in the Queen's hands now. The opening moves have already been made and my involvement at this moment shall upset the game."

"But you do intend on acting at some point, do you not?"

"Oh I shall act. After all, the King must make his moves as well. For now though I am content with my place upon the board," Alucard replied with a dark chuckle.

Integra sat back into her chair with a sigh. "I cannot help but think that things will become much more hectic in the days to come," she thought as she looked at the image of Alexander Anderson in the file before her.

ooooooooo

In a dark room area of the Hellsing compound Seras Victoria was engaging in some well-earned rest. After the event with the Youma she had undergone debriefings by several different people. Something that she did not enjoy at all, as she had to tell the same details over and over. Finally she was able to get some sleep. But her dreams did not provide the welcome relief that she had hoped. Instead she was treated to images of what had gone on that night. When she woke up the next night Seras was immediately forced out on patrol, which wasn't a picnic either. Not only did she have to deal with the occasional Freak, a task that was more difficult here in Japan, she also had to deal with the usual perverts who liked to mess with pretty young girls.

Now though she was able to lay back on her bed/coffin and just rest. As she did so Seras marveled at the job the Japanese construction crew had done in her room. Back at the Hellsing compound in England her room was rather spartan, what with the brick walls and such. Here though, the room was painted in a multitude of vibrant colors. All across her walls was a depiction of some great legend from Europe's past. While it was done with a Japanese flair the legend was unmistakable. What was even better about the room was the large plasma-screen television that took up an entire section of wall. The television itself was built into the wall rather like a window and in fact that was what it was. You see there is something very curious about vampires, while most cannot go out in direct sunlight, just seeing an image of the Sun is not harmful to them. So, as they built the building the contractors installed cameras near the same area as Seras' room. With the touch of a button Seras could know what it was like to see the Sun once more.

As she rested Seras's mind drifted back to Usagi. That girl was the most unusual person that she had ever met. Most of the vampires that she met, the nobles like Alucard, had this air of depression about them. Seras knew that she too had the same air about her as well. Usagi though was different, she seemed to have a joyful outlook on life and when ever she was around the depression went away. And not only was Usagi good she was also powerful, as her attacks against the Youma had proven. In that sort space of time Usagi and her friends had caused the sorts of damage that only bombs were capable of and according to her she had been able to do that before becoming a vampire.

Seras' rest was interrupted by a knock on the door. Getting up from the bed Seras plodded over to the door. Upon opening it she found Walter on the other side. "Walter! What are you doing here?" As a rule Walter tended to avoid Seras' portion of the compound.

"Miss Seras Victoria. Your presence is required in the briefing room in ten minutes." With that he turned and walked away.

"Hmm. I wonder what's up," Sera said as she closed the door. It was then that she felt her master in her mind.

"It seems as if our friend Anderson is in town," Alucard responded with amusement.

At that Seras' hand unconsciously went to her neck. It was here that the good Father had impaled her with a long knife over two years ago. "Great," she muttered darkly, "that's just what this trip needed."

ooooooooo

The next day at the Hikawa Shrine there was a bustle of activity as the gathered Senshi talked amongst themselves and feasted upon the food that Rei was generous enough to prepare. After her meeting with Usagi, Rei had taken it on herself to contact the various members of the team and ask them all to be here today. No one really knew what was going on but they all knew that it must be big for Rei to be asking them in person. What was even worse was the fact that Setsuna swore that she had no idea as well. So at the moment the only one in the know was Rei and despite many attempts to get her to talk Rei remained steadfast in her refusal. "You'll find out when Usagi gets here," was her only answer.

As to the whereabouts of their illustrious leader, that too was unknown. Like usual, Usagi was late which made the other's anticipation all that more worse. But Rei was not worried about Usagi. It was in the woman's nature to be late to Senshi meetings and the instant that she was early, or even on time would be the day that Rei would begin to worry. What really troubled Re was the absence of Makoto. When she had met with the Senshi of Jupiter yesterday something seemed off about the woman's demeanor. Makoto had eagerly listened to every tid bit of information about today's meeting yet she seemed wary of Rei and did not give any sign of weather she would be at the meeting today or not. It also bothered her that Makoto was the only one who had not shown support of Usagi in any way, even Ami had come. Though said woman seemed cautious of making her opinions known she did talk to the others about the same as usual.

The final item that worried the shrine maiden was the fact that Usagi was bringing the newest combatants in this battle, Terra and Earth. Of the two Rei liked neither, both to a degree seemed to mock them and Setsuna said that they would not allow Crystal Tokyo to come about. While both she and Usagi had stressed that the pair were on the side of good Rei was not sure, what if they were doing something that Setsuna could not see, something that could endanger the whole planet. But that did not matter, for if Usagi trusted them then there was nothing that Rei could say to change her mind. She would just have to trust Usagi's judgment.

As if her thoughts had summoned her Usagi walked through the rice paper doors. For the first time since her transformation the Senshi were having a meeting and all eyes turned to their leader. "Where's Makoto."

Rei shook her head sadly, "She didn't come."

That seemed to sadden Usagi but it did not stop her, "Well that's her choice. But I'm glad the rest of you are here," she said with a smile.

"Wouldn't have any other way Princess," boasted Haruka as she leaned against the wall.

That, and the nods that accompanied it, only made Usagi's smile all the more brighter. "Thank you." She then walked in but did not sit down. Behind her walked in Umino Guiro and Naru Osaka, both of whom looked uncomfortable being there.

"Um Usagi, no offense. But what are THEY doing here," asked Minako. "I thought this was a private party."

"It is. I just added them to the guest list," Usagi said with a smile. Her words also elicited a smug grin from Naru.

At the same time Rei's eyes widened in shock. Usagi had said that she was bringing Terra and Earth and here was these two in.

"As you all know the last few Youma we have fought have been tougher and more deadly than any we've faced before. None of our magic has really heart them, the only thing that seems to work against them is Mr. Chiba's roses." That last bit got several raised eyebrows from the assembled Senshi. "The only ones that have been able to actually kill one of these new Youmas have been the two fighters calling themselves Terra and Earth. Shortly after they first appeared on the battlefield the pair approached me and revealed their true identities to me. Since then I've tried to get them to come forward but they were always reluctant to trust the rest of you. Now though, information has come to light that makes their annominity impractical. So, I would like to introduce you all to our newest allies Terra and Earth," Usagi announced as she pointed at Naru and Umino.

"Them," exclaimed Ami in shock. Of all the Senshi she was the most acquainted with Usagi's former friends. After all when she had first met the pair they were still Usagi's close friends, a situation changed as more Senshi joined the group and the need for secrecy increased. But she had never thought them to be the type to fight the forces of darkness.

"Us," replied Umino with a smile.

Hotaru was the next to speak. "But they don't look anything like them." Everyone turned to look at her. "What! They don't!"

"She's right," Ami confirmed. "Even though we have disguise fields to protect our identities we still look the same."

"Yes, well considering Umino and I figured out who you all where, Terra felt it would be wise to look different in our transformed mode," replied Naru.

All eyes turned to the standing pair. "You figured us out," Minako asked incredulously. "How?"

"I think that we weren't careful enough," Usagi answered in embarrassment.

It was then that a small thunk was heard from the table. As everyone looked to the table Artimis climbed out from under the table. "I can't believe how stupid we've been."

"What do you mean Artimis," asked Minako in confusion.

"Think about it. All they would have to do is see one of you transform and then they can figure out who all of you are."

Ami nodded, "He's right. We're always hanging out together and each time there is a new Senshi our click gains a new member."

"Exactly," added Umino with a nod. "We are also the ones who have been attacked the most."

"Well now that they've proven how stupid we've been can someone tell me what is the big hubabaloo all about," asked Haruka sarcastically. As it was now they had two new allies who were able to put up serious resistance against these new Youmas. Therefore they were necessary, at the same time the more buddy-buddy the Senshi got with the new people the better they could determine weather or not Naru and Umino were a threat to their Princess.

"Thank you Haruka," said Usagi. While she really didn't mind her friends talking about Naru and Umino's new powers right now they needed to focus on the letter and the repercussions that it would have. With the introductions made she sat at the head of the table and motioned for the couple to join her. "Yesterday Alucard came over with a letter he got from a person on the night of the last major Youma fight." From her purse Usagi withdrew an envelope. "You guys should read it."

Being the intellectual of the group Ami took the letter and began reading it for the others. As she spoke everyone in the room was silent, Rei and those that had come with Usagi already knew what was going on but the others were silent out of shock. When the last words left Ami's mouth her wide eyes met the equally wide eyes of her friends. The one whose eyes were the widest was Minako and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. The last time they had dealings with the people who wrote the letter every member of the Inner Senshi died.

The first to break the silence was Michiru who, in a moment of less than total refinement, asked, "Why the hell won't they die?" This seemed to allow everyone else in the room to begin talking. At the same time.

It was into this chaos that Makoto stepped into the room. Her arrival caused everyone to shut up and look at her. "Makoto," Usagi exclaimed with glee. "You're here."

"Hello Usagi," Makoto replied strangely. "It's so good to see you again." With that all the lights went out and pieces of paper could be seen flying towards them.

From behind Makoto a strange man came running towards the assembled group. "DIE VAMPIRE!"

ooooooooo

Authors Notes: Well that's that for this chapter. I could have gone further but this was a good enough stopping place. Besides, I felt that you all have waited long enough. My only real excuse for the lateness of this chapter is that shit happens and that's it. I'll say that the hardest thing about writing this chapter is Father Anderson's speaking parts. The way it is now it is just enough to show that he has an accent yet not so bad that it become hard to read, like the manga. As for the character, expect some interesting things from him in the next chapter. Now I'm sure that some of you are up in arms about Makoto's betrayal but I needed some bit of conflict. It would be impractical to have all the Senshi just automatically accept Usagi. I hope that you've noticed that Ami hasn't really been to vocal about her position. I think that I'll have more to do with her in the next chapter. Here's hoping that the next chapter comes quicker than this one.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	6. A New Alliance

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 5 - A New Alliance

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As Zoecite walked through the dark passages of Beryl's castle he could not suppress a shiver. Originally Beryl and her people hailed from a mountainous region in the northern area of the world. So, when she crafted this pocketvervse she did so in a way that would simulate their original home. Zoecite though, had not been from this region, he hailed from a much warmer climate, and as such the cold here seemed to seep into his bones. He hadn't had that problem we he was controlled by Mettalia, such thoughts would only be a distraction, but now all bets were off. While the cold gave him a shiver something else added to it, the castle's design. When Beryl made his place she had been under Mettalia's iron thumb. This meant that the castle was cold, dark, and uninviting. Quite frankly it was creepy as hell. Oh she had done her best to make the place more hospitable since the Senshi's victory, more lighting and large tapestries, but nothing could really help the place.

Passing a large window Zoecite saw Kunzite outside using his powers. It was wintertime here in Beryl's Dark Kingdom and Kunzite was using this opportunity to train. As he looked at the man, disgust welled up within Zoecite. Before Mettalia possessed them all Zoecite and Kunzite had been best friends. But when the creatures inhabited them learned of the deep friendship they perverted it and turned the friends into lovers. Upon being reborn from their crystal states Zoecite and his fellow generals were free of any influence but they retained memories of all that they had done while possessed. Now, the friends rarely spoke to one another and when they did it was usually short and too the point.

"Hello Zoecite," greeted a feminine voice.

Said general looked to the voice's source and saw that Beryl was now standing next to him. Time had been friendly to the Queen and she appeared no different than she had millennia ago. With her rebirth at Mettalia's will the bonds that held her to the dark god where broken. This meant that the changes her form had undergone, the deathly pale skin and the protrusions on her elbows, had nothing to maintain them and her mages had been able to return her to her natural form.

"Yes my Queen," he replied with a bow.

"Oh spare me the false respect. You no more think of me as a queen than I do. We both know who rules here."

Zoecite knew indeed, he was just glad that Beryl was more humble than before. "What would you have of me then?"

"How is everything going?"

"According to Jadeite's plan." Of all the generals possessed by Mettalia's minions Jadeite had been the least changed. While Kunzite had always been the better overall general Jadeite was the best at crafting schemes. As such, he had been the natural choice to form a plan by which they overthrow Mettalia. Everyone involved knew that what they were doing was risky; Mettalia might learn of the plan at any moment and not only kill them but all the people that they were trying to protect. But still this was the only way that the most lives could be spared.

"Do you think it will succeed?"

"I think his plan has the greatest chance of succeeding but I don't know if it will. It all depends on whether or not the Senshi are as good as we hope." They had both seen the reports. Apparently the Senshi had increased in power and skill since their last battle. At the same time though the scientists and mages who crafted the new Youma were very adept at their work and only two fighters had the magical power to defeat them. The only hope that any one in the Dark Kingdom had of freeing themselves from Mettalia's yoke was that these new fighters worked together with the Senshi to save them all.

"How are you handling yourself," Beryl asked with concern.

"As well as anyone in my position can." As if this new line of discussion had been some sort of trigger Zoecite's form began to shift. Several seconds later the front of his uniform had pillowed outward and his pants became tight on his thighs. After about a minute the transformation was over and a very feminine sigh escaped Zoicite's full, pouty, lips. "I just wish the transformations weren't so random." When Mettalia's minion inhabited him it had not been just content to make him in love with Kunzite. You see Zoicite had been the most resistant to Beryl's advances and so Mettalia wanted to really punish him. As such the minion made it so he would be together with Kunzite as both a man and a woman. And you can bet your ass that the minion in Kunzite did everything it could to ensure that both of Zoecite's forms were used to maximize his torture. What made it worse was the fact that the minion had to tie the transformation in with his magic in order to let both forms use his power.

Beryl stood and gapped in shock at Zoeite's transformation. She had seen the man in both of his forms but she had never actually witnessed the transformation. When she'd imagined it Beryl thought that it was instantaneous. What she saw was a slow metamorphosis from male to female. "Oh god. Did you feel all that?"

Zoecite nodded. "Yes. It is part of my punishment. The being that inhabited me wanted me to feel my masculinity slipping away from me. At the same time it couldn't be too slow so as to not loose the moment it shared with the one in Kunzite."

Hearing that Beryl could only shake her head in sadness. It was her fault that Zoecite was this way and there was nothing that she could do to help him. "What did the mages say?" After finding out what had happened to him Beryl had sent Zoecite to her court mages to be examined. It was her hope that they could find a solution to the problem.

"That there was nothing they could do for me." That wasn't all the mages told him. According to them the change was not only tied into his power but his soul and his body. What that meant was that next to nothing could fix him, and that included the Silver Crystal. What was worse, should he have child, no matter the form, it too would change gender randomly. But those facts he wasn't too keen on sharing. "I think I will return to my room now."

As the changed man walked away from her Beryl reached out to him. "Zoecite wait. I am sooo sorry."

At that Zoecite paused for a moment. "I know you are and so am I. Perhaps one day I'll be able to forgive you. Now though," he left that part hanging as he walked off.

Beryl could not help but shed a tear. ""To think, so much pain because of me."" "I promise you," she whispered, "I'll do everything I can to atone."

ooooooooo

To say that Luna the Cat was miserable would be a gross understatement. For her entire life she had served the queen of the Moon. Her first assignment to the Royal court had been as a courier for the grandmother of Princess Serenity. Over time, she watched the goings on of the court and became rather knowledgeable. Then one day her Queen had a daughter. This brought great joy to Luna, as there was another Serenity to dutifully serve. Two years later, as Luna was running another errand, the new princess grabbed a hold of her tail and proclaimed that Luna was her kitty.

The Queen seemed amused by this and said that her daughter's proclamation would stand. On that day Luna became advisor/playmate to the future Queen of the Moon. From then on Luna spent most of her time with the young princess. Under Luna's watchful eye Princess Serenity grew from a rambunctious child, to a silly and clumsy teenager, and finally into a regal woman who could rule and love the entire Moon Kingdom. The day her little Serenity ascended to the throne was the happiest in Luna's life. Now though her responsibilities were much greater, before she had been advising a princess. With Serenity's ascension Luna had to be more cautious with her advice, a wrong word could see the end of the Moon Kingdom. But fail her queen Luna did not and for countless years Serenity ruled over the Moon Kingdom. During that time peace reigned and ever greater deeds were done. As time passed this Serenity gave birth to a child and Luna was appointed the child's teacher in addition to her other duties. Under Luna's expert care the child, also called Serenity, progressed much the same as her mother.

And then she met Endymion.

Endymion, if ever there was a name that Luna despised it would be his. To think all the pain and death that marked the end of the greatest kingdom in the Solar System would be caused not by hate, but by love. At the time it had seemed so right, young Serenity had met Prince Endymion and in an instant she fell hopelessly in love with her prince from Earth. Unfortunately, Endymion's heart was taken by the leader of a kingdom in the northern region of the planet named Beryl. This was where the rightness came in, the young Serenity had gone to her and Luna's motherly love clouded her thoughts. From Venus Luna had made a special potion, which would create a deep-seated love for a person in whoever drank it. On one of Endymion's trips to the Moon, Luna slipped the potion in his drink and it performed as it was designed to. Within hours of being ingested the prince had fallen deeply and eternally in love with young Serenity. The plan had been perfect; Luna's charge was happy, Endymion was in love with Serenity with the only way for the spell to break was for him to break it and that wasn't going to happen. While Beryl's love was spurned Luna was sure that she would find another suitor.

Oh how wrong she was.

Apparently being spurned by her lover was one of Beryl's hot buttons, for the woman went insane with grief and rage. In her altered state Beryl called upon the dark power of Mettalia. With her newfound power Beryl raised an army and attacked the Moon without mercy. In the end the Moon Kingdom had fallen and all that Luna loved was gone. Then, as if she wanted to punish her, Queen Serenity denied Luna her due punishment and instead sent the cat into the far future. Serenity hoped that Luna's wise council would help her daughter when she was reborn.

For the most part Serenity's plan had worked. Luna was sent to the future and she was able to find Princess Serenity's incarnation in this life. But that was where the plan went astray. Usagi was not a Serenity and she never truly would be. The girl was just too undisciplined, even after the training of the last few years. But the worst thing was what had happened in the last few days. Her last hope for a bright future was destroyed forever with a single bite. Now Usagi was lost to the darkness and it seemed as if she was hell bent on dragging all of her Senshi with her. "Oh my Queen," Luna sobbed. "I have failed you."

"Yes you have," answered a melodic voice. "But not in the way that you think."

All around the miserable kitty the sounds of the city vanished. Looking up Luna saw that the area before her began to glow. From this glowing mass stepped out the regal ghost of Queen Serenity. Seeing the woman caused Luna to gasp in surprise, "Your Majesty!" Realizing her place Luna quickly sketched a bow. "Please, forgive your servant my Queen."

"Oh Luna, what have I said? To me there is no reason for you to bow." Serenity's full lips curled in a smile, "After all, it was you who ensured that I could not sit properly on many occasions." As if to emphasize her point Serenity reached back to rub a spot on her rear where Luna had liked to spank when she was a child. Her smile then retreated and Serenity then became serious once more. "Luna, do you truly know why you beg my forgiveness?"

"I failed you my Queen. It is my fault that the Moon Kingdom fell. I did not train your daughter well enough and she fell to the darkness. Now all that we have worked for will never be," Luna stated sadly but truthfully. Though she knew her sins were plentiful Luna also realized that she had to tell the woman before her.

"Yes. It is true that your actions concerning Prince Endymion brought about the Moon Kingdom's doom. But that is not why you must beg for forgiveness."

"Your Majesty," Luna gasped in shock and confusion. The downfall was not what caused Serenity's ire?

Serenity sighed and sat down on an invisible chair. "Luna, everything in the universe ends. No matter how much we yearn for it to endure, all things must end. The only thing we mortals can choose is how the end will come about. Because of you Luna, the Moon Kingdom was allowed to end at its apex. Had things continued on their course the light of the kingdom would have waned and instead of merely being forgotten we would have been remembered as tyrants who had fallen from grace." She shook her head, "No Luna. Your actions of the past are not where I take issue. What you are doing now is the problem."

Luna looked at her queen in confusion, "But I am doing nothing."

"Precisely. You should be with my daughter, guiding her through these troubled times. Not in this alley bemoaning your life," she exclaimed with a touch of anger.

Luna heard that anger and cringed. "Usagi is a vampire, My Queen," she explained helplessly.

"I know my daughter's situation all too well Luna," Serenity replied knowingly. "But you don't seem to understand. Yes, it is true that Usagi has been touched by darkness. Yet at the same time it has not consumed her. She has retained her light. I feel that this ordeal shall only serve to increase its brilliance." She leaned in close to the sentient creature. "That is were have failed the House of Serenity Luna. The faith that you once held so tightly is gone. Now you must go and gain it back if you wish my forgiveness."

Though Luna did not quite understand what Serenity meant about Usagi, she was more than willing to return to her Queen's good graces. "What must I do?"

Serenity smiled, happy that the one who had served her so well was still willing to follow, no matter the cost. "You must go to Usagi and truly look upon her, you shall see that I am right. Once you have done this you shall show your support to her so that all know where your loyalties lie. Finally I ask that you remember the legends of the Serenity line, which you taught me so long ago." Having said what she had set out to say Serenity faded from Luna's sight.

As the last light of Serenity's spirit vanished Luna from the alley that had been her home the last few days. Her heart was filled with hope as she sprinted towards the Tsukino home. "I will prove myself," Luna whispered as she ran.

Wind began to blow through the newly vacant alley. As it blew one could hear the voice of Queen Serenity say softly, "You already have, my dear Luna."

ooooooooo

"DIE VAMPIRE!"

The oddly dressed man ran towards Usagi with blades in his hands and murder in his eyes. As this intruder threatened their friend and ally, reactions among the different occupants of the room varied. Of the Senshi the only ones who really responded were the Outers and though they were reaching for their Henshin Wands it seemed as if they were moving in slow motion. The only thing that the Inners did was remained seated, for they were too shocked at the their apparent betrayal at the hands of Makoto. Umino, perceiving a danger to Naru, dove towards his fiancé. Not thinking about the fact that she was in the line of fire, Naru instead dove towards Usagi, who was the only vampire in the room. So, the young couple ended up colliding with one another thus leaving Usagi open for attack. For her part Usagi could only sit in wide-eyed shock. Here was someone that she had never met and he was screaming for her death. What was worse was the fact that Makoto was the reason that her life was soon to end. Of her Senshi, Makoto had always been among the most loyal. Never had it crossed Usagi's thoughts that the brown-haired woman would ever betray her, yet here we were.

As he charged, Father Anderson could only smile in victory. All of the vampire's protectors were too stunned or too slow to put up a defense for their master. In a moment the dread beast would perish and all those that she had enthralled would be free of their servitude. But as his knives were only a centimeter from the vampire's chest Anderson felt something emanating from the creature. He had felt this before, during his final trials before becoming an agent of the Vatican's Iscariot. At that time Anderson was exposed to Christianity's most holy relics, the Grail and the Lance. Through these Anderson learned how to sense the holiest of holies and that was what he was feeling now.

Before the blades could strike Anderson withdrew them and instead grabbed hold of the vampire's head. Locking his eyes with those of the creature before him, Anderson looked to see whether he was correct or this was just another trick of the enemy. He knew what he was doing was a risky proposition, if he was wrong then he was leaving himself open for attack. But he had to risk it, for if he was right and killed the vampire without checking then he was dooming his very soul. For like the duplicitous Satan, the All Father used servants on Earth. Some were mortals who had sided with the light; others were God's chief lieutenants. These creatures took the guise of mortals to walk among them but if one knew where and how to look then that guise would fall and their glory would be seen. As he looked into the vampire's eyes the fist item that Anderson noted was the color of its eyes, all the traditional vampires and many of the Freaks had red irises; the ones he saw now were a deep blue. Looking deeper Father Alexander Anderson saw something that shocked him to the very core. This vampire. No, this woman, for the vampire was being held in check. This woman was not one of God's mortal servants nor was she one of his many lieutenants. She was something more, something greater. Usagi Tsukino was a direct child of God.

Realizing the position which he was in, and whose head he was grasping, Father Anderson released Usagi as if he had been burnt. In an instant the Priest was kneeling before the shaking woman. Laying his blades on the ground Anderson spoke solemnly, "Forgive yer servant my lady. Ah knew not who and whit ye were."

Though many in the room remained in a state of shock Hotaru did not. Like in the alley with Minako, she changed into Sailor Saturn in an instant and placed herself between the kneeling man and her princess. Her weapon, the Silence Glaive, was pointed at the man's kneeling form and all that saw her knew that if the man twitched then he would be reduced to his component atoms. "Someone take his weapons," Saturn ordered coldly. At the moment she was beyond anger, both for the man before her and for herself. Not only did this person have the audacity to attack Usagi, one of the nicest people on the planet, but she had failed in her duties. Had the man not stopped then Usagi would be dead, and though he would have quickly joined her, the deed would have already been done.

Being the closest to the odd scene, Naru did as Saturn had commanded and quickly snatched up the blades on the floor. With the weapons out of the way she too engaged her transformation. A second later Terra had her sword in hand and was pressing its tip against the man's neck. Like Saturn she too was angry at herself for not being able to save Usagi. While she did not blame Umino for his protectiveness of her, Terra vowed to train more with him. That way, when the next crisis situation came along they would act together.

The next several seconds saw all those who were loyal to Usagi transforming into their battle forms so they could protect their friend from the man and from Makoto. Said woman was staring at Father Anderson in shock. She had thought that he would be able to kill Usagi but when the blade had almost pierced her chest he stopped. Now, he was treating her like some sort of Queen. Though her friends were circling her and readying themselves for anything she might do, Makoto's attention was focused squarely on the man who she had admired for so long. "What are you doing," she screeched.

Looking back at the young woman who brought him to this place, Anderson could see the confusion and betrayal that marred her features. He too was angry, he had almost committed a grievous error and this woman was partly responsible. "Kneel! Dae ye not know wha ye sent me here to murder?"

Hearing this, Mars, who had gone over to deal with the traitor, used her Senshi-enhanced strength to force Makoto to her knees. "You heard him," she barked, the sound of Makoto gasping in pain made Mars feel better but not by much.

It seems as if Makoto's gasp was just the thing that was needed to get Usagi moving. Surveying the scene around her Usagi saw that while her friend's dedication to protecting her was a good thing, what they were doing now should stop. With a grunt of effort Usagi stood while ignoring the numb feeling emanating from her legs, they and kneeling did not get along very well. Placing her hand on Hotaru's shoulder Usagi addressed her friend, "That's enough Hotaru. I don't think he will be threatening me any more."

Taking her eyes of her captive, Saturn looked at her leader and friend. Seeing that Usagi meant what she said Saturn sighed, sometimes Usagi was too trusting for her own good but an order was an order. Saturn stepped back but she did not send her weapon to its hiding place. If the man was going to give a repeat performance then she would be ready.

Seeing as Saturn was withdrawing Terra did so as well, though she was as reluctant as her Senshi ally. After applying a tad bit more pressure to the man's neck, Terra removed her sword. Bringing it up near her, she morphed the sword into a long stave. Though she leaned on the stave slightly, it was clear that Terra could bring her weapon to bear at a moments notice. Terra took her eyes off of the man for a moment and looked to Usagi. When their eyes locked Usagi smiled and bowed her head in thanks. Terra returned the gesture and then turned her gaze back to the one who had tried to assault her friend.

Now that her friends had stood down, after a fashion, Usagi turned her attention to their prisoner. From the way that he was kneeling she could see that her attacker was quite tall and held a sense of peace that had been absent a few moments ago. The outfit that he wore seemed to be some sort of priest's robes, though she could not be certain until he was questioned. "Who are you?"

"Ah am Paladin Alexander Anderson, agent of the Vatican's Iscariot organization, Ma Lady," the man replied humbly. Normally, he would not give away his connection to the Vatican so readily but a child of God asked him a direct question. When such a thing occurs it is wise to leave nothing out.

Knowing that Hotaru and Naru would never let her get close to the man, Usagi had to be satisfied with not coming closer. "Very well, Paladin. Please stand. I would rather speak to you face to face."

"As ye command, My Lady." With that Anderson slowly stood so as too not make any threatening movements. As he rose he also made sure that his hands were visible to everyone in the room. He had just tried to attack these people's leader and he did not want to give them a reason to attack. When he reached his full height Anderson looked at Usagi, "Is this acceptable, Ma Lady?"

A slight, almost imperceptible frown formed on Usagi's lips at the continued use of honorifics on the part of Anderson. One of the things that she did not look forward to about being a Queen was the false respect that people would give her. As far as she was concerned she was no better than anyone else and she should be treated as such. "Yes it is. But please, call me Usagi."

"If that is your will," Anderson replied respectfully, to emphasize his point he gave a slight bow.

Usagi returned Anderson's gesture with one of her own. "Thank you. Now will you please tell me why you attacked me?" She tried to be as cordial as she could but a slight twinge of anger entered her voice. Normally she was a very nice person and it took a great deal of work on the part of a stranger to raise her ire but this man had just tried to kill her. That kind of thing could make anyone a tad bit irate.

Anderson heard the anger in Usagi's voice and felt ashamed. It was as if he had just been scolded by an angry parent. The shame was great enough that it shown on his face, "Forgive me, Usagi. Ah've been tasked wi' the destruction of evil. The primary tool dat the Devil uses in this new century are Vampires and Ah've been battling them for years. Several days ago Ah received ae call from Makoto, whom I had taught when she but ae lass. When Ah arrived in the country Ah met wi' er and she told me that her friend had become a Vampire and that she had placed all her friends under her spell. Ma duty was clear, Ah had to kill the dread creature. Ah had to kill ye."

Now Makoto's betrayal was making more sense, though it still stung deeply. Anderson's dedication to his duty brought a smile to Usagi's lips. Knowing that he was basically on the same mission as she was allowed her to relate to the man a bit more. His tactics left a bit to be desired but Usagi just chalked it up to the way he was trained. "There is nothing to forgive."

That garnered Usagi Shocked stares form everyone in the room. Sure she was known to forgive quickly, but this seemed to be an offense that Usagi might punish. Now it seems as if that was not the case.

Seeing the shocked expressions of her friends Usagi looked at them in confusion, "What! Haven't we done the same thing before? I can't count how many times we've headed for evil without thinking." At her words the shock seemed to melt off her friend's faces and was replaced with acceptance. With their shock and confusion dispelled Usagi turned once more to Father Anderson. "I understand your reasons for attacking me but why did you stop? You could have killed me twice but you didn't, why?"

"Ah felt something within ye Usagi, something that Ah could not harm." The look of confusion on Usagi's face encouraged Anderson to elaborate. "In ma training Ah was taught to tell the difference between holiness and devilry. As Ah neared ye Ah felt our lord. That feeling was confirmed when Ah looked into yer eyes. In them Ah saw the light of God and Ah could not harm ye."

"That makes sense," said Artemis from his position under the table. All eyes turned to the cat as he stepped out from the shadows of his hiding place.

"What do you mean Artemis," Minako asked.

"According to legend, the first Serenity was the daughter of a powerful white mage and a man who was a god or the God. This heritage must be the reason why Usagi was protected from becoming a true Vampire."

"But I thought just our souls were reincarnated," Minako replied in confusion.

"No, the Queen's spell was more powerful than that," stated Ami. Until now she had been silent but she had done some research on this topic. "A comparison between our DNA during the Silver Millennium and now would show that they are identical. Considering that most of us are also genetically related to our parents this is an impressive feet."

"Most of us," asked Michiru with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Of the Outers the only parent that I have scanned is Hotaru's father, and from that standpoint they're related. Of the Inners, I have no data on Makoto's parents. For Rei all I have is her grandfather's DNA though that checks out. The only incongruity is Usagi." Turning to the young woman in question Ami said, "I'm sorry Usagi. But the genetic patterns do not correspond to your parents."

"What," Usagi gasped in surprise. "I'm adopted?"

Ami shook her head, "I don't think so. According to my scans your DNA is three times more complicated than a normal human's. I believe that this is due to the Serenity line's unique history. Therefore, no human on this planet could have an offspring that would result in you so Serenity's magic picked a couple who was loving and near to the other Senshi."

Though the fact that she wasn't genetically related to her parents did bother her Usagi was not going to let that stop her form loving them as such. Any further though on the matter had to wait until latter. Now, there were more pressing concerns. Taking her eyes from Ami's, Usagi looked to Father Anderson. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Ah must contact my superiors and inform them of these newest events. Whit they decide tae dae is up them, though ma choice is clear," Anderson said with conviction.

"And what choice is that," asked Saturn as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She didn't like the way that he worded that last statement.

"Ah shall serve Usagi," he said simply. The look on his face said that there was no other choice for him.

"You want to serve me," Usagi said flatly. She really didn't like that word. Of all the people on the planet she was the last person that needed servants. At least that was what she thought.

"There would be no higher honor than tae serve ye in what ever way Ah can."

Though this turn of events really disturbed Makoto, it seemed as if her quest to free her friends was not over. This had to be some sort of game that the Father was playing. He must have realized that there were other vampires that Usagi might know about and was planning on using her to get to them. So for now she would hold her tongue, and when the time was right she would confront her mentor.

While Makoto was keeping silent Rei was not so easily fooled. She knew the woman all to well and if there was one thing that Makoto Kino was not it is a quitter. For now Makoto might be quiet but at some point she would strike again. It was best if for all that she bring up her concerns here and now. "Now that were on friendly terms with the assassin," she said dryly. "What do we do about Makoto here?

All eyes turned the woman and her prisoner. Everyone could tell that Rei was not happy with the situation. And Makoto was trying her best to look as innocent as possible. Out of the assembled group Father Anderson was the first to speak. "The lady is right. If Ah know Makoto, she's not finished."

While some turned to look at Anderson, Usagi kept her eyes fixed on Makoto's form. That was how she did not miss the look of shock that passed over the young woman's face. "He's right isn't he? You still are plotting against me, aren't you."

Makoto wanted to lie. She wanted to assure Usagi that she had seen the errors of her ways but she couldn't. For some reason as her gaze met Usagi's every single lie just disappeared and she found herself only telling the truth. "Yes I am. I hope that this is all just a plot by the Father so that you'll lead him to the rest of your kind so that he can kill you all."

Hearing those words issue forth from the lips of one that had been so fervently on her side caused Usagi to gasp in shock. She had known that Makoto was planning something like that but actually hearing it was another thing. Before she could say, or do, anything Usagi heard someone muttering curses. Tearing her gaze away from her friend Usagi looked to see who was speaking.

The person who was doing the muttering was none other than Father Anderson. He could not believe that Makoto was still plotting against Usagi after the truth of her heritage had come to life.

"Father, what is wrong?"

It was then that Anderson realized some of the things that he had been muttering and once more looked embarrassed. "Forgive me Usagi. Ah should'nea have said what Ah did. It was just that Ah was upset at Makoto's continuing stupidity."

Usagi waived off Anderson's apology. "Don't worry about your language. I've heard worst from Haruka."

This earned a certain blonde-haired tomboy a smack from her significant other. "Ow! That hurt Michiru. I've trying to cut back. Haven't I," she asked as she looked to her friends among the Senshi. Unfortunately, for Haruka, it seems as if everyone in the room suddenly found themselves looking at some unremarkable section of the room. Even that lazy-assed cat Artemis wouldn't look at her. "Fine! Don't help me." She folded her arms across her chest and glared at her "friends".

The room was silent until Minako spoke up. "So, anybody have any ideas?"

Anderson was the first to speak. "Ah do." Never taking his eyes off of Makoto he elaborated. "Have 'er look into Usagi's eyes. That should change 'er tune."

All the Senshi looked at each other and wondered how that would help. "Well it can't hurt can it," asked Umino. This just standing around was starting to get on his nerves and like they say in Python World, "Get on with it."

"He's right," Usagi said with a nod. Looking to Rei, "Stand her up." For a second she did nothing else and then she remembered who she was talking to. "Be gentle."

Rei's shoulders drooped a little at that but she nodded in the affirmative. Turning to Makoto, Rei gently helped the woman up. As she did so Rei put a little pressure into her grip and heated her hands up some. It wasn't something the others could see but it would deliver the proper message to her captive. ""Bolt and you'll be one charred Senshi.""

With Makoto now standing Usagi smiled at Rei in thanks for her soft touch. She also smiled at Makoto. At the moment Usagi was doing everything she could to forgive her wayward friend. It was her hope that whatever juju that was supposed to happen would allow Makoto like her again.

As Usagi walked towards her, Makoto felt herself being pushed towards the approaching vampire. Once she was almost touching Usagi the young woman reached up and grasped her face with her gentle hands. Wanting to get the whole ordeal over with Makoto looked at Usagi's eyes. For over a minute everything was silent and there was a tension that filled the air. Finally Makoto looked over to Father Anderson and shook her head. "Yeah. I got nothing."

For his part Anderson sighed in disgust. "Ah know Ah wasn't with you long Makoto but stupidity was not one of the virtues Ah tried to instill in you. Dinna just look at the surface. Go deeper and see whit is truly there."

"Fine," she replied crossly, and once more turned her eyes to Usagi. This time, Makoto caught sight of something that she had not seen before, a twinkle or some flickering of light. Grabbing hold of this Makoto felt herself being pulled into those deep orbs. As she traveled, she was bombarded by all of Usagi's feelings. The pain Usagi felt at her betrayal and the sorrow of Mamoru's parting. The confidence that came from her friends and the love that she felt for them. Like ice and lava, these and more passed through Makoto's soul, burning and freezing all they touched. And then, when she could bear no more, Makoto was plunged into what felt like an ocean. There, the cool waters caressed her soul and healed the damage it took from its journey. As she floated among the calm waters of the ocean Makoto gained a sense of peace and tranquility that she had never knew existed. Eventually the waters receded and she found herself being held in the arms of a woman as if she was a child. Looking up, Makoto saw that this great woman was none other than Usagi but that soon changed. Before her wondering eyes Usagi changed into Queen Serenity and from there, into another woman who resembled the previous two. It continued like that for time, each woman morphing into yet another one. Each varied in stature and beauty but they all were clearly of the same lineage. Finely the woman holding Makoto took on the guise of the very first Serenity.

This shape was held the longest but it too wavered and in Serenity's place there was a man in his mid twenties. His face was fairly androgynous and plain. It was as if he could be anyone, man or woman. As if he was everyone and no one. When the Serenitys held her there was a feeling of acceptance and love, like one person should have for another. But this man was different. The love that radiated off of him was purer than any ever expressed and as she looked into his eyes Makoto saw the universe reflected back at her. He said nothing, he only smiled. This gesture was more than enough and in that moment every thought and idea that she had ever had was torn down and its place was erected the desire to make herself worthy of that smile, for she felt that she was not. As if sensing her thoughts the man's smile grew and it shown with the brilliance that dwarfed the brightest star. With the utmost gentleness he closed her eyes and that action brought a sense of peace greater than any before. Then she felt him bring his head close to her own and graced her forehead with a gentle kiss. She knew then that no matter what came down the road she would see him again and this brought her unmeasured happiness.

When Makoto opened her eyes she was kneeling on the hard wood floor of Rei's temple. Through her tear-blurred eyes Makoto was able to discern the blonde hair of Usagi. With some difficulty Makoto cleared the tears from her eyes and looked at her. What she saw was not anger, or even pity, but the concern and love that had characterized the young woman throughout her entire life. Seeing that, Makoto's tears changed from those of joy and happiness to those of pain and remorse. Usagi must have sensed this and wrapped her arms around Makoto's sobbing form. As she cried words of apology were uttered as she tried to articulate the deep remorse that she felt for her actions.

As Makoto had her spiritual experience Usagi stood in shock. Never had she seen such a display, especially from the ever-steady Makoto, and quite frankly it scared her. For minutes the young woman did nothing but sit on her knees and scream as if the hoards of hell had been unleashed upon her. Then, out of the blue, the screaming stopped and was replaced with total calmness. This slowly changed into a look of awe and finally tears began to pour down her cheeks as her face held an expression of pure, unadulterated joy. Eventually the glassy look in Makoto's eyes vanished and Usagi could see that she had returned to the real world. As she kneeled down to check on her friend for some reason Makoto began to cry harder and more painfully so Usagi did the only thing she could, she wrapped her arms around her sobbing woman.

During all this, the others watched and all were moved. Even the "Let's string Makoto up by her feet" camp felt for the girl. Whatever was happening, they knew that those screams and crying could mot be faked. And so, as Usagi assured her friend that all was forgiven, they too forgave Makoto. Though each silently vowed never to forget, as it was their complacency that got them where they were.

Finally, Makoto's sobbing had trailed off and she was just sniffling occasionally. Soon though, a new sound was heard in the room. It was one that most had heard before and eyes turned to Mercury who had whipped out her computer. Expressing a speed that few could replicate her slender fingers flew across the keyboard. After several seconds which were filled with the sounds of her fingers striking the keys Mercury's eyes, which had until now been darting right and left as she scanned the screen, looked over to Usagi. "We have a Youma attack downtown."

All eyes turned to Usagi as she pulled Makoto up and both were standing. Taking a step to the side Usagi silently triggered her transformation. After her form finished rippling, Sailor Moon looked to her friends and allies. "Alright people! We've got a job to do! Now let's go save some lives." As one, every person in the room gave a yell. Moon smiled triumphantly, for one of those who yelled was none other than the transformed Sailor Jupiter. Looking to Mercury she said, "Okay Mercury! Take up the lead. LET'S GO!"

Once more everyone in the room yelled out, "YEAH!" And with the battle charge sounded the team followed.

The only one left in the room was Artemis who sighed and walked over to one of the cushions. "Now its time for a nap."

But fate had other plans in store for the white cat and just as he was getting situated an evil laugh filled the air. "Ha ha ha ha. It looks like I can have some fun now." With that the laughing continued for a few moments until fading into nothingness.

It could be said that Artemis was scared shitless but that would be an understatement. In his life he had felt evil before, but whatever that was just showed him a whole new level of evil. Of course, this would be the worst time for someone to show up unannounced. So that was exactly what happened.

From one of the side entrances came Luna, who looked like she had just run a marathon through trees. All over her body there were twigs and debris that had gotten caught in her fur. She stopped at the table and tried to regain her breath. Though she as breathing heavily Artemis did not give any indication that he had heard her. So, as soon as she was able, Luna yelled out, "Artemis!"

Artemis' reaction was not what Luna had expected. For as soon as she had yelled out, the white-haired cat shot straight up into the air and never came down. Looking up, Luna saw that Artemis was holding on to the ceiling not unlike a certain animated cat.

When Artemis looked down at who had just yelled, he saw that it was the wayward Luna. Seeing her caused him to relax and this had the nasty side effect of allowing gravity to regain its hold on him. With a rather comical expression Artemis the Cat fell to the floor and disproved the long standing myth that surrounded the type of landings his species could perform. Unfortunately, when he landed it was on the hard floor rather than the soft cushions that were strewn about.

Luna immediately rushed to her comrade's side but instead of words of comfort or concern she asked, "Where is Usagi?"

"Ug," he groaned. "It's nice to see you too, Luna. I'm feeling perfectly fine. Thanks for asking," he replied sarcastically.

"Now is not the time for your antics Artemis! Quickly now, where is Usagi?"

"She and the others just left to fight a Youma."

"Blast," Luna cursed. Shaking her head in disgust Luna sat down. "Tell me what has been happening recently. And do hurry." The next few minutes Artemis filled her in on the goings on of late, including the Senshi' latest allies. What he did not mention was Mamoru and when Artemis was finished Luna called him on that. "What about Mamoru? How is he handling all of this?"

Artemis shrugged his shoulders, or at least performed a reasonable facsimile of a shrug, "I really don't know. But from the way that Usagi referred to him I doubt that he took it well. You know how he is."

At that Luna's expression turned grim. "Indeed." With that she turned and headed out of the room. When she reached the doorway Luna looked back to the prone form of Artemis. "Come along lazy bones. We have a job to do."

Sigh. "Fine! I'm coming." He got up and walked over to Luna. "Now where are we going?"

"Mamoru's. Now let us be off." Without any further comment the talking cat ran off in the direction of Mamoru's apartment.

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As Usagi's little pow wow went down there was one who watched from the shadows. For the vampire Alucard watching Usagi had quickly become his favorite pastime. When you have walked the world as long as he has boredom soon becomes a fact of unlife. Surprise was a rare treat and was savored whenever it occurred. But since he had met Usagi things had been different and surprise was becoming quite commonplace. So for the past few days he had been spending a good deal of his time watching her.

Oh sure, there were the occasional boring parts; such as the beginning of this little meeting. But if one was patient the unexpected would happen. Take Anderson for example; never in his wildest dreams had he expected Usagi to stop him without lifting a finger. And yet she did, now the fanatic was willingly serving a vampire.

With Anderson now on their side things were getting most interesting. It was probably time for him to start taking a more active role in the shaping of events. Seeing as he had taken a peak into the girl's, Mercury, mind; Alucard knew the location of the Youma attack and made his way there..

Of course, his methods were far more efficient than the Senshi's, for with a single thought he stepped out of the shadows of some alley in downtown Tokyo. He was greeted by the sounds of mayhem and it made his blood race with excitement. As he stepped out of the alley and into the light of the Sun Alucard felt none of the annoyance that such an act usually provoked in him. Before, when he stepped out during the day the act was usually accopanied by an unpleasant tingling sensation. He was too powerful to be harmed but he could never be as free as humans. After drinking Usagi's blood that changed. Somehow the wonderful crimson liquid changed his body and as such became immune to all the things that he usually had to negate through force of will. Any further musing on Alucard's part cut short by an exploding car that crashed into the brick wall to his right.

The source of the car was a large creature similar to the one that was killed by Terra and Earth several days ago. Apparently its rampage had been going on for some time as it had shed all vestiges of human form. Now, it ran amok through the streets of Tokyo in search of victims and their blood. Looking on the Youma's form Alucard had to suppress a wave of disgust. As a member of the so-called vampire elite, Alucard had certain ideas of how his kind was supposed to act and be like. With these Youma all of those ideas were fouled and perverted. At least freaks like the Valentine Brothers had some semblance of style. But these monsters sullied the good name of vampires everywhere. There was only way to remove this stain and that way was something that he would most enjoy.

"Target is confirmed. Releasing control art restriction system to level 2. Situation A. Keeping power restriction unlocked until the target has been silenced." All throughout the area a cold feeling swept across the land and all who felt it shivered in the depths of their soul. Alucard though, felt a warmth that made using his power so seductive. Ever since he was forced into the service of the Hellsing family he was under this restriction system. When all of the restrictions were in place a kind of coldness filled his being. So, while battle had always been something to look forward to, now it was something to be relished. From his red coat he withdrew a huge ebony gun. This was the Jackal Mk. 2, the original was destroyed in the tumultuous events two years ago. When Hellsing got back on its feet he made a request to have his gun rebuilt. It was interesting this fascination with guns that he developed since the restrictions were put in place. But those thoughts had to be tabled for now. And it was tabled by the loud crack that issued forth from the muzzle of his gun.

The bullet which flew towards the Youma was a silver amalgam. Normally, when fighting vampires and vampire-like creatures silver was something that was invaluable. Whenever the silver would come in contact with a minion of darkness it would burn it. Even for the mighty Alucard, silver was a problem. Today though, the bullets did nothing but put some holes into the creature. Seeing this did not deter him in the slightest. Instead he smiled, an evil one at that, and placed his gun back in its holster. This battle was getting most interesting. If silver did not harm the creature then more brutal tactics were called for, and those were his specialty.

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High above the streets of Tokyo, among the roof tops and satellite dishes, there was an odd bunch of people running between the buildings. The great majority of those who ran were none other than the illustrious Sailor Senshi. Their white leotards and colorful skirts were like a rainbow, which flitted here and there. Within this group were the Sailor Senshi's newest allies. Two, a man and a woman, looked like Hercules and Xena from TV and their dark clothes were an oddity in this colorful group. The final member of this group was the oddest of all. Though he was dressed all in black, if one were to look closely they would see that he was garbed in a manner befitting a priest of the Catholic faith.

It was this oddly dressed group of individuals which was Humanity's sword and shield against the forces of darkness. Some had fought it for years and others were newcomers to the war. As they ran a wall of evil came crashing through their ranks. Some simply felt the hairs on the back of their necks raise. Others were more deeply affected.

The one that the wave impacted the hardest was Sailor Mars. All of her life she had been susceptible to minor fluctuations in the universe around her. When the wave's evil washed over her it lanced through her being like blazing ice. So great and terrible was its power that she cried out in agony as she collapsed to her knees. There, she shivered and stared into the space before her with wide-eyed terror.

The others, hearing Rei's anguished cry, stopped and turned to their friend. In an instant Usagi was next to her friend. As she looked at Rei's face Usagi could not help but feel shocked. Never in her life had she seen Rei in such a state and quite frankly it was scaring her. "Rei! What's wrong?"

Rei's head turned slowly towards Usagi but her eyes were still blank. "So dark. So evil."

Anderson's eyes grew wide at that. He too had felt the power that had swept over them all, and while it felt horrible his training had made him used to it. As the wave passed he took notice of the other's reaction and they were all in the norm. But this girl was affected more than anyone that he had ever seen. Such an effect meant that she was natural hunter. Under other circumstances he would have tried to indoctrinate her into the order. Now though, she needed to focus past what she felt or she would be like this for days. He strode up to the kneeling girls and took Rei's head in his hands. With a slight exertion he turned Rei's head to face his own, "Look at me child. LOOK." That seemed to get something out of her and Rei's eyes slowly turned to him. "Yea must focus."

"Evil," Rei intoned monotone.

"Yes. Ah know. But ye must shake this off. The others need ye"

"They. Need. Me?"

"And those who are in danger."

That seemed to do something as Rei's eyes began to focus and the spark of life entered them once more. "You're right. I, we, must help them."

Usagi reached out and touched her friend's shoulder. "Rei, are you all right?"

Rei inhaled deeply and a shudder passed through her frame. "No Usagi. I'm not. And I don't think I will be for a long time. But he's right, we have people to save." She began to stand, slowly and unsteadily. She almost collapsed once more but Usagi caught her and helped her up. Her proximity seemed to have a positive effect on Rei as the unsteadiness and weakness passed quickly. Anyone who looked at her might not realize that she had experienced something truly terrible. The only evidence was a haunted cast to her eyes.

Anderson nodded in certainty, she was a powerful one. He would have to pay extra special attention to her. But for now they had a mission to accomplish, and if his feeling was correct then Alucard was in combat. This was something that was not healthy for good, god-fearing, by-standards. "She's right!" With that he continued on their original course.

The others, having seen the concern that Anderson showed for their comrade, deemed him a true member of their team and they followed him off towards the field of battle. He was the first to arrive on the scene and as he crested the edge of a building a pair of long sliver-imbued blades flew from his hands and embedded themselves into the Youma's hide. This caused the creature a measure of pain but it was nothing compared to the next attack.

Right behind Father Anderson was Sailor Jupiter. In her zeal to do what was right she almost killed a friend. Now though, the identity of the enemy was clear. As she laid eyes on the horrid form of the Youma her heart was filled with the desire to prove to the others that she was truly reformed. Without even forming the words, electricity gathered in her outstretched hands. Seeing the blades, which now protruded from the vile creature, Jupiter hurled the mass of electrical power towards the metal of the holy instruments. In an instant enough power flowed into the Youma to light up a small city for a week. Every cell in the Youma's body reached the boiling point in under a second and they all burst. Normally this would kill anything; even a regular Youma would have been dusted at such a display of power. But this was a member of a new breed of Youma. Not only was it filled with the regular magic but it was also fueled by the power of the vampire and such creatures took a special brand of killing. Sailor Jupiter landed triumphantly and looked upon her handiwork but any sense of accomplishment was quickly dashed as it was already regenerating.

"Ha ha ha! You fool," exclaimed the red-garbed man nearby. "You can't harm them with your paltry powers." He was right, none of the Senshi could do any lasting harm to these new Youma, they were designed too well. And his powers, while vast and terrifying, could do no real damage to the Youma. Under normal circumstances, he would have ripped the creature limb from limb and drained it of every last drop of blood. But for this abomination, such tactics were out of the question. He would never sully his being with its perversion, and so his options were limited. But oddly enough these limitations made the ordeal all that more exciting.

"Then how are we supposed to beat them?"

"You leave it to us," stated Terra simply. The next few minutes saw them fighting the Youma in much the same way as they had on the prior occasions.

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In another part of town a different battle was about to take place. This battle would not be fought with force of arms but with words. And the outcome of this struggle would have ramifications that could alter the fate of everyone fighting for freedom.

"Huff. Huff. Sweet Jesus, Luna! Did we have to run the whole way?"

"Quiet you," Luna replied gruffly. "You wouldn't be so out of shape if you stopped eating all those sweets." At the present she was not in the mood for Artemis' antics. There were more important things to be worried about, and her primary concern at the moment was to make right a multi-millennia old wrong. With her paw she knocked on the apartment door as hard as she could, and since she was a cat that wasn't very hard at all. Apparently though it had been hard enough as the door slowly creaked open.

What peaked out from the dark apartment room looked little like the Mamoru Chiba that most people knew. He looked as if he hadn't bathed in a week. His hair was disheveled and it was quite obvious that his hands had run through it on multiple occasions. There was even stubble on his chin, something that he never allowed under usual circumstances. "I don't care what you say. I'm not going back to her." Even his voice was different; usually he was polite and spoke nicely to others. Now though, his voice was cold and ragged, as if he had been crying for a good while but had now made some sort of decision.

Mamoru's attitude put Luna on edge. What she had to tell him was troubling enough as it was, in his current frame of mind there was no telling what he might do. Unfortunately they did not have the luxury to wait for him to get over it. So, she would have to tell him now and hope to whatever god was listening that he would stay on the path of light. "We are not here about Usagi, Mamoru. In fact you are the one we have to talk about."

He quirked his eyebrow at that, his interest had been peaked. Slowly the door opened wider, "Come on in."

Luna bowed her head, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now come in. I don't want the neighbors to see me talking to some cats in the hall."

Artemis walked in, "Hey I understand man. You got anything to drink? Miss Slavemaster here made me run all the way from the shrine."

"Artemis," Luna cried out in outrage.

"Heh, heh. Sure man," Mamoru's tone had lost some of its ice and gained a hint of amusement. For all their bluster Luna and Artemis were the quintessential married couple. And like many married couples it was always interesting to watch them from the outside. As the pair entered he closed his door and headed to the kitchen. There, as he poured some milk into a bowl for his guest, he pondered the meaning behind Luna's rather cryptic words. Nothing really popped into his mind; Luna was quite handy at coming up with information that no one would expect and it usually was something that made things harder for everyone. With bowl in hand he headed into the living room and sat Artemis' milk before him.

"Thanks Mamoru" the white-haired cat exclaimed before partaking of his host's offering.

"No problem," Mamoru replied as he sat down in his chair. Of the two he had always liked Artemis more, the cat always seemed laid back and you could tell where you stood with him. Luna, on the other hand, was a being that he had been uncomfortable with since the beginning. While she had always seemed kind and concerned with others, there was this feeling that something else was going on behind that kindly facade. Now, that feeling was magnified greatly, and the fear that something huge was about to go down. This affected his speech so when he turned to the black cat and said, "Well," it came out rather cold.

At hearing this Luna flinched and grew afraid. What did he know? Could he have somehow remembered everything that happened so long ago? Well it didn't matter, she had a conscience to clear and the only way that could happen was by doing what she had come here to do. Sigh, "What I have to tell you involves your past and my part in altering it." From their Luna outlined the part she played in making Endymion fall for Princess Serenity. No detail was spared and she made sure that anything that could be misconstrued was elaborated upon.

While Luna weaved her terrible tale Artemis sat at his saucer of milk and stared at her in horror. He had known Luna well during the Silver Millennium and in these last few years only Minako's mind was better known to him. But as Luna's British accent wove her story, it was like he was listening to a complete stranger. In the olden days the potion that she gave Endymion was considered illegal throughout most of the kingdom. It had been considered unethical to artificially induce permanent love in another person. The only world in which it had been allowed was Venus and that was because the populace really liked it and it jived with the Royal Families free love line of thought. That Luna, a steadfast supporter of Serenities decrees and polices, not only purchased the potion but also used it on the Prince of a planet's ruling class was not only unthinkable, it was inexcusable.

Though Artemis was outraged, Mamoru was experiencing a moment of revelation. Ever since he had severed his bond with Usagi his dreams had been plagued by images of a past that he had never known. From the state of his bed in the mornings he knew that these dreams were vivid and powerful. Upon awakening these dreams would vanish into the either of unconsciousness, all that remained was brief flashes that seemed to be seared into his mind. Those images were limited but powerful, the most prominent of them was one of love and the focus of that feeling was none other than Beryl. Now, as Luna crafted her tale of woe, all those images gained crystal clarity. These were joined by others that now crawled up from the depths of his dreams. As his past washed over him Luna's voice trickled off into the background.

As she finished her tale Luna didn't feel any better for her troubles. Instead it seemed as if the telling was even worse than keeping it in. The source of her newfound pain was the looks that she was receiving from the room's other two occupants. Artemis she could understand, he was simply making manifest the horror and disgust that she felt for herself. Mamoru though was the one that truly troubled her. She had expected him to do something, make a sound, look angry, blink, anything. Instead he just sat there with eyes wide open. It was like the lights were on but there was no one home and quite frankly it was scaring the hell out of her. To her this only meant one thing, he was so furious that he had to retreat into himself in order to prevent himself from doing something drastic. "Mamoru, you have to understand. I would have done anything for her. As far as I was concerned she was my daughter and she needed you. That doesn't make it right, but I am so sorry."

The memories that bombarded Mamoru's psyche slowed down as Luna neared the end of her confession. He had been so out of it that he only heard her final apology. "Sorry? For what you did no apology should be enough. If this was the olden days you would be tried for treason and sentenced to death. And if I carried out that sentence now, I doubt that you would do anything to stop me. But I won't do that. You gave me a great gift just now and for that you will live."

While the enormity of Luna's crimes was staggering and Artemis did not know what to think or say about them, Mamoru's final statement gave him something to comment on. "What gift?"

"Luna's story made me remember everything. Including the love I had with Beryl, and the pain on her face when I did not remember it. What's more I remember what I did to have a relationship with Usagi." With a single thought his form wavered and the dirty, unkempt, Mamoru Chiba was replaced with the clean-cut, armored, Endymion. Looking down on his silver armor Endymion's face was one of sadness mixed with some disgust. "It had been decreed that no member of the Earth Royal family would ever mate with one of the Serenity line. Our mages had determined that the two energies were incompatible in a single person. But that didn't matter to me at the time; I had to be with her. The only way that I could was if I no longer had that power. So I got rid of it," at that he held out his arm with his palm facing up. Slightly above his hand a bright golden light began to coalesce. The light became brighter and brighter until it was blinding. In an instant the light burst outward and in its place floated a crystal of glittering gold. "You know, I always thought that this was like the Silver Crystal. That it was an addition to my power that could focus and amplify it. But I was wrong oh so very wrong, this IS my power. And I want it back." As he withdrew his hand the crystal remained where it had been. He took two steps back and withdrew his sword.

Mamoru's purpose was clear to the room's other two occupants and quite frankly the were scared. From everything that they had seen the crystal held a great deal of power. When such items were destroyed they usually did not go gently into that good night, and they were at ground zero. Though such actions were futile, as Mamoru began his swing Luna and Artemis dove under some furniture. It was their hope that the cotton batting and linen exteriors would protect them from the magical equivalent of a nuclear explosion.

When the blade struck the glittering artifact, it exploded into a multitude of glittering motes. Like fireflies, they flew through the air and into Mamoru. The dull silver armor that he donned was filed with light and it became golden. On his head appeared a golden crown encrusted with Sapphires, Rubies, Emeralds, and Topaz. Right above his forehead was the symbol of Earth made of the four jewels. Since there was no titanic explosion Luna and Artemis crept out from under their cushioned hiding places. Both gapped at the kingly image that their friend now sported. Of the two Artemis was the first to speak. "Mamoru. . . Are you okay."

Said individual turned slowly to the cowering cat. When the pair locked gazes he smiled gently, "I'm more than alright my friend. For the first time in my life I am complete."

Luna was about to make yet another apology when a large crash was heard outside. In an instant Mamoru was at the balcony, his long cape fluttering in the breeze generated by his wake. She joined him several seconds later, and what she saw scared her. When she went to the shrine looking for Usagi, Artemis told her that the Senshi had gone off to battle a Youma. From the looks of the scene going on down below this creature had just started its attack, which meant that this was a second one. What was even worse was that there was no sign of the Senshi or anyone that could stop it. "What are we going to do," she asked desperately.

"I'm going to kill it," replied Mamoru coldly. With that said, he jumped over the edge as if he was trying to cross a low barrier.

ooooooooo

For the second time that day the Senshi and their allies found themselves running across the rooftops of Tokyo. Their course was not taking them home after the successful extermination of a threat to the people of this great city. Instead they were running into battle once again. Shortly after Terra and Earth had dispatched the Dark Kingdom's latest avatar of destruction, Mercury's computer began to sound its alarm. After ensuring that the victims of the first attack were safe they rushed off for the next site. This latest attack held some concern for those who knew their adversary's tactics. Normally, Beryl would only send out one Youma at a time, and the interval between attacks had been at least a day. For her to send out two in one day meant that something was up and they might have less time to formulate their plan than expected. A further cause for concern was the proximity of this latest attack to Mamoru, someone that many of the Senshi still considered as an ally.

So, as quickly as their enhanced musculature allowed, they made their way to their next battle. When they arrived the group saw a scene that was becoming all too familiar. A large, horrific, creature at the center of carnage and destruction. But before they could do anything Jupiter spotted a golden streak heading directly for the Youma. "Look!" It took her companions a few moments to find what she had spotted and when they did the streak was nearly at its target. When the two objects collided the streak cut through the Youma like a hot knife through butter. And unlike when Alucard ripped the last Youma in half, this one did not pull itself back together. Instead it turned to dust, as was the custom of all dead Youma.

With the Youma dead, the Senshi and their allies were finally able to discern what the golden blur had been. To the shock of all it was a man in golden armor. What was even more shocking was the identity if that man which was revealed when he raised his head to look at them.

As Usagi looked at the man, surprise and grief pierced her heart. The man on the ground below had held a special place in her heart for years and only recently he broke all the bonds that they shared. Since then she had never laid eyes on him and the wounds from their break up had not yet healed. Without thinking, her hand slid up and grasped the locket on her bow, "Mamoru?"

ooooooooo

Author's Notes: Well that concludes another chapter of No Life Queen. Sorry it has taken this long but life gets in the way, and recently a new force has entered my life. The name of this force is World of Warcraft. Damn that game is addicting. Luckily for you readers, I have to share the account with my brothers. Otherwise I may never write. Should any of you who play find yourselves on Medivh server, look me up. I go by the name Zinv.

Now to the story. Yes there was mostly discussion, but I'm not big on writing action. The main push of this all was to fix some complaints Pacman had about it, primarily Makoto and Mamoru. Now while I have brought Makoto back into the fold she is still against vampires and is still a Christian. But now her reasons for following Usagi are different. As for Mamoru, well I never really have him in my stories. In Light Hawk War he was just mentioned a few times. In this he should probably play a bigger part. He is going to be different though. In the anime I always thought he was a pussy, what with the rose throwing and whatnot. With the destruction of the Golden Crystal Tuxedo Mask is dead and Endymion is the only one that is left. This will have repercussions on the future but certain things, such as his relationship with Usagi will not change.

Concerning Zoecite, I know that in the originally he was a man and was only made a woman for the US version to make his relationship with Kunzite more palatable to audiences here. In this way I have taken both versions and merged them together in a way that makes what happened more traumatic and more interesting.

If you have stayed with me this far then I am most glad. And know this, I am not finished yet. It may take another year but I will complete this story. This is a commitment that I am not going to abandon. I can only hope that you, the faithful, will remain along side me until we have reached the end of this long road.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	7. The Vague Lines of War

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 6 - The Vague Lines of War

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Though Usagi gasped out the identity of the man in the golden armor, all the members of the Sailor Senshi could tell who he was when he raised his head. What they saw shocked them. Usually, the man in question was only in his armor when Usagi was in the guise of Princess Serenity. That he was in this modified armor while his girlfriend was garbed as Sailor Moon shocked the inner circle to their cores. While the others stood in shock at the man's actions and outfit, Rei was not so stunned. Instead her thoughts were focused on the pained look that graced Usagi's face. She knew what her blond-haired friend was thinking and the tears that she had shred the day before weighed heavily on Rei's mind. When Usagi had first told her what Mamoru had done to their relationship, she had wanted to hunt the scumbag down and show him the error of his ways. At the time, Usagi had told her that she couldn't seek out any retribution. But that was then and Mamoru is now standing right in front of her. So, in line with her namesake, Mars strode over to the standing man and promptly decked him.

The tableau that had held everyone in its unwaivering grip was throughly shattered in that one action. As quickly as they could, Jupiter and Uranus rushed over to the snarling Mars and struggled to pull her off of Endymion's' prone form. Not caring that those who held her were friends, Mars kicked and screamed obscenities of all sorts as she tried to break free. It was not often that Mars fully released the reigns on her anger, and now that the act had been done nothing was going to stand between her and vengeance.

Nothing, that is, save the pleading look in Sailor Moon's big blue eyes. Like water onto flame, Mars' anger subsided and she slumped slightly in her jailer's grasp. The anger that had marred Mars' model-esque beauty vanished and its place was shame. Just yesterday her friend had told her not to harm the man who was now sprawled onto the ground. And what had she gone and done? She assaulted him! Usagi didn't like it when people teased one another, how would she feel about this? "Sailor," she started then shook her head. That title was too impersonal, and no one was around to learn her friend's secret identity. "Usagi. I'm sorry."

Usagi smiled gently at her friend, "I know you are. And I have to say, part of me doesn't blame you." She turned slightly to take in the sight of the man who had carved out a large chunk of her soul, "But I did tell you not to do anything to him. So I guess I should punish you."

As Usagi turned her attention to Rei once more, the fiery-tempered Senshi could not help but feel a twang of fear at the sinister look on her friends face. "How?"

"By getting first dibs on all your manga for a month," she pronounced evilly. Ever since she had met Rei, the shrine priestess had kept Usagi from her stash of mangas. Despite their increased maturity such fights still occurred and it felt good to get this victory over her friend.

Rei could only gape at her friend, not only had Usagi gotten the upper hand in their battles over manga, but she would have it for an entire month. As much as she wished that she could argue with Usagi, Rei knew that she couldn't on this matter. She had disobeyed a direct request from her Princess and best friend. So, for the next month Usagi will have her little victory; and then, payback.

With Rei properly chastised, Usagi turned to look at Mamoru who was now being helped up by Ami and Michiru. Looking at him, in his golden armor, nearly caused her to burst into tears again. But she maintained her resolve and even tried to sport something of a smile. "Thank you for. . . . ," she trailed off when it was apparent that the man's attention was diverted elsewhere.

"She's alive," he whispered with awe and joy.

Usagi quirked an eyebrow at that. She looked to her friends for some sort of back up, but all that she saw was confused faces and shrugged shoulders. Seeing no help there Usagi once more turned her attention to Mamoru, "Who is?"

That seemed to gain Mamoru's attention, for he whipped his head around and his piercing gaze caught Usagi's own. For a moment his eyes softened but then they became resolute. "Beryl."

Ami's eyes took on a calculating light. "And how do you know this?" The fact that the queen of the Dark Kingdom was still alive was known to all that were here. What was surprising was that Mamoru, someone that had isolated himself from the others, knew.

"She is my love, my light," said Endymion in a tone that suggested that no other explanation was necessary.

Sailor Moon stumbled backwards in shock; not only had he left her but he had done so for a mortal enemy. "Why," she gasped in sorrow. The thought crossed her mind that the letter might have been a ruse designed to distract her and the others from Beryl's true goal, Mamoru. After all, she had kidnapped and brainwashed him in the past. But that thought did not last long. When Beryl had kidnapped him before, he had never severed his link as he had done this time. Something else had happened, and she wanted to know what.

"I don't have time to explain," he answered coldly, something that garnered a growl of anger from Mars. Once more the man's cold gaze unfroze and he looked at his former love warmly, his blue eyes tinted with shame. "Listen Usagi, I am sorry for all that I did to you in the past. My actions were of a man unable to comprehend the love that you felt for me, and for that I hurt you. More than I can ever imagine I think. But right now the wool has been lifted from my eyes and I must find her." The "her' that he referred to was clear to all who listened in on the conversation. Backing away from Usagi, Mamoru turned and began to walk away. He stopped right at the edge of hearing and looked back at the woman who had occupied his heart for the last few years, "If you really need to know the reasons for this I suggest you ask that cat of yours," then he was gone in a flash of golden light.

Mars shook off the weak hold Jupiter and Uranus had on her and walked over to her friend. She should have known that Luna would have had all the answers, it always seemed that the cat was at the center of Usagi's woe. Placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder, Mars what about to utter some comforting words when Usagi's soft voice began to speak.

"You know, I thought it would have hurt more than this when we talked. But he was sorry, and I know he meant it. Something happened Rei, something big. And I WILL get to the bottom of it." At that she turned towards home and began to walk away. As the gap between her and her friends widened, Usagi dropped her transformation. Nearing the darkness of the alley, her form began to fade until not even Mercury's sensors could get a reading on her.

ooooooooo

When she stepped out of the shadows Usagi was in her quarters in the Hellsing compound. Though she still lived at home, this was a good place to clean up from training and it was an ideal spot to store her blood. The events of today had drained her, more so that she let on to her friends, and she just needed some "me" time.

Walking over to her small refrigerator, Usagi withdrew a packet of blood and tossed it into the microwave above. Though partaking of the red liquid when it was cold could be rather refreshing, in fact it was becoming her drink of choice as a cool down from a long day of training, sometimes the warm stuff was the best. It was Seras that showed her this particular technique, by cooking the blood for only a few seconds you could get it back to 98.6 degrees and ensure that all the cells remained intact. Once her blood was at the right temperature, she plopped herself down in the big chair next to her window. As she nursed the plastic bag Usagi let the silence envelope her like a warm blanket.

"I must say, you are handling this situation quite admirably."

Putting a stop to her examination of her toes, Usagi looked up to see Alucard walk from the shadows. "Handling what?"

"This entire Mamoru business. From your memories I half expected you to be here crying."

Usagi barked out a short laugh at that. "You know, you're right. A few years ago I would have been in some ice cream shop drowning my sorrows in hot chocolate topping. But I realized something today."

"Oh," he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. I realized that I'm Sailor Moon." Usagi giggled a bit at Alucard's look of total underwhelmment. "I know, I should have figured that out sooner. That's not what I mean. When we go into battle the others and I proclaim to the world that we are defenders of love and justice. But how is it just to force someone to love you. I have been defending others for years and yet I realized that I was the biggest villain of them all. So I'll let him go to her and they can have a hundred Nega-babies for all I care. As long as they are happy ,then I can live with myself."

"Even if it means being alone forever," asked Alucard with slitted eyes.

"Hey, its as Minako would say, ""There are plenty of chips in the sea,"", she said with a smile. "I'll find my someone. And when I do I'll know that its real, not some left over feelings from another life."

"Well that is certainly a better approach than the one I took," Alucard commented wistfully.

"You mean you were in love once," she asked in surprise. Most of the time the Vampire Lord was aloof and cold and Usagi had a hard time believing that he had ever been a Human. Here, now, that mask had been lifted to allow her to pay witness to the man that hid within the darkness of the beast.

"Once, long ago yes." He opened his shirt to reveal a round scar at the center of his chest. "This was my reward for my attention to her. Tell me, have you read, or seen, Dracula by Bram Stoker?"

"I saw the movie once at Makoto's place. It gave me nightmares for a week," she said with a shiver.

"Yes, well despite some literary flourishes, Stoker had the my story correct. But what he did not include was the aftermath of those events. After Mina put a steak through my heart, I was left for dead. Even then though, such methods were not enough. I slept for nearly fifty years, and when I awoke I cut a bloody swath across Europe. In the end it was Gabriel Hellsing, grandson of Abraham Van Hellsing, who captured and enslaved me."

Usagi looked at Alucard in open mouthed shock. From what she had heard about the "man" across from her, he never talked of himself. Usually he was mocking and questioning of others. Even more disturbing, was the trueness of the novel and the aftermath of that tale. It was then that she realized that, despite all his posturing and semblance of aloofness, the vampire was just a man who had given in to his darker soul. "That's horrible."

"Indeed. So, what will you do with your own story?"

Usagi sighed at this, "Right now, I'm going to finish my drink. From there? Well everything is negotiable. But I'll say this, it's going to be interesting."

Alucard began to laugh at that. "Good good." With his business finished, he began to fade into the shadows of the room.

"Wait." In response, Alucard's diminished form returned to its prominence. Though he said nothing, he looked at Usagi questioningly. "Why me?"

"Why you?"

"I've heard the others talk. You never speak, you just lounge around the grounds like a ghost. Even Seras has told me that you don't speak to her often."

"That night, in the alley, you gave me something that no other has ever given my kind. Today, for the first time in five hundred years I felt the Sun against my skin." Before Usagi could utter the response that was forming on her lips, Alucard elaborated. "I realize that I have been out in the daylight before our meeting. But even then, I was unable to do so without exercising my power. Now, I can be as weak as a kitten, and still enjoy the light as Humans take for granted. So you are the savior of our race, Usagi. For that, I treat you differently. As for the police girl, well she has yet to earn my respect. Though I do sense that she is on the cusp of doing so." Seeing that Usagi was satisfied at that answer he left the room.

Usagi looked at the space that Alucard had previously occupied thoughtfully. She hadn't realized that he would take such meaning in what had happened. Now though, she could see the power of the gift that her blood gave him. Until then, Usagi had always thought that the source of the melancholy that seemed to grip the hearts of vampires was their immortality. But after this revelation from Alucard, she saw the creatures in a new light. In school she had learned that humans had a psychological need to see the Sun, but the link between the lack of light and their sadness seemed so obvious now. That she was the new hope to a damned people was shocking to her and at the same time warmed her heart in ways that she never knew were possible.

Speaking of her heart, there was still the issue of Mamoru. Presumably he was heading for Beryl, this could be a good thing or a bad one. On the good side,should he actually manage to find his way to hert hey would have someone on the inside that could determine whether or not her intentions were sincere. The downside of this whole thing was that if Beryl was still evil then his arrival will have given the Darkness a formidable ally. So, all she could do is what she had always done, hope for the best and have some ice cream.

"Speaking of which," she muttered to herself. Taking a quick look to her watch she saw that she had an hour or so till her favorite shop closed. A greedy smile spread across her lips as she stood. "Now who to take," she muttered as she stepped into the shadows of the room.

ooooooooo

"Anderson showed up today," said Alucard absently.

"Where," replied Integra

"The meeting Usagi had with her subjects. Apparently one of them called the priest and brought him to the meeting."

The sensors in Usagi's room had detected the young woman's entrance a short while ago so Integra knew that the incident could not have gone too horribly, "How did you dispatch him this time?"

"I didn't need to," he said with a knowing grin.

Integra looked up from her papers, "One of Tsukino's friends where able to deal with him?"

"No."

"Usagi?! That girl defeated Anderson."

"More like converted. Had I not seen it I would not have believed it, but he actually knelt before a vampire and begged forgiveness."

"Why?"

"I'll let her tell you, but either way, Anderson is now firmly in her corner."

"Well wonder of wonders, to think that a simple little girl could earn respect from both Iscariot's chief assassin and the mightily Alucard."

"Is that admiration I hear," he asked with a grin. He could see it growing within his master. There was just something about Usagi to got to people. It slipped under the skin and you just couldn't help but like her.

"Nonsense. She is a Vampire, an abomination," Integra replied reflexively.

Before Alucard got the opportunity to make a witty retort Usagi walked out of the shadows with a big grin. "Hey, Ms. Hellsing."

"What is it Usagi, Alucard and I were in a meeting."

The smile on Usagi's lips dimmed somewhat, "Oh, I was hoping that we could go for some ice cream."

Integra raised an eyebrow at that, "Ice cream?"

Usagi cheek's went pink with embarrassment, but she held the older woman's gaze. "Yeah, you are always couped up here in the dark. I thought it would be good for you to get out for a bit. Besides, it will give us a chance to talk. I mean, we work together and we know nothing about each other. But if you are busy."

"You two go ahead," said Alucard with an evil grin. "The Master and I were finishing up when you entered."

Integra whipped her head around to level a cold glare at the mischievous vampire so she missed the luminous smile that Usagi suddenly possessed. Unfortunately, Alucard did not burst into flames, he just simply faded into the shadows. So the two women where left to their own devices. Being the sort that did not especially enjoy non-formal outings, especially with vampires, Integra began to look for a way out of this. The fact that she was trying to be delicate in this matter never dawned on her and attested the power that Usagi already held over her. "Usagi, I would like to but look at my desk," she pointed at the mound of papers that she needed to go through. Normally the surface would be quite clear, but these things happen to even the best of us. "I have a great deal of work to do."

Usagi was not deterred though, she had had plenty of experience talking Ami out of studying. So this woman, no matter how forceful, could not stop her. As far as she was concerned ,Integra needed this and she would be damned before the older woman would go without. "But you always have a lot of work to. Even if you didn't go there would still be all this stuff. And if you didn't go then you wouldnt have all the fun that we are sure to have."

For a moment Integra had the idea that she could yell at Usagi and the younger woman would just simply go away. That plan was dashed though when she took one look at Usagi's face. Somehow, the girl had gotten right up close to her and put on the most pitiful face that she had ever seen. Usagi's eyes seemed bigger than normal and they glistened with barely restrained tears. Knowing what kind of output those tear ducts could produce, Integra erred on the side of caution and sighed in resignation. "Very well." To her relief this was enough to entice Usagi away from her desk, as she was now right at the doors as she had been before. "But we shall take my vehicle." This induced not a single peep of complaint from her tormentor, just a wide, satisfied, smile. She sighed once again, she had hoped that she would have refused but it was for naught. Pressing the button on the intercom Integra called out. "Walter, have my car out front. Miss Tsukino and I will be going out."

The little speaker on Integra's desk sounded, "Very well Lord Integra. It shall be made ready in five minutes."

"Thank you Walter, that is all." With that, Integra turned off the intercom and crushed out her cigar. "Okay, Usagi. Let us be off."

"Great! I'll meet you downstairs," exclaimed Usagi before stepping into the shadows.

With her out of the room Alucard chuckled darkly. "An interesting one, isn't she? A child of the light cast into the shadows and yet she retains all of what she was."

"That girl confounds me. To think, after all the obstacles that I have faced in my life, a young woman was able to coerce me into doing something." This earned another dark laugh from Alucard. "Do not start with me. I am not through with you."

But Integra's threat, though heartfelt and backed by a glare that promised much pain, did little to sway the laughter of Alucard. On the contrary, it only seemed to be bolstered and for the first time in as long as he could remember it was as if he was laughing so hard that he had no breath in his body. He knew that there was nothing that Integra could do to him that her ancestors had previously tried but still, the glare was priceless. Perhaps it was because it was so human, something that he had thought his master was no longer capable of. Though this did seem a bit odd as he had feeling of mild contempt foe most of the species, but for some reason he didn't want her to become as cold as he was. It was as a stunning realization, though it did little to dampen his mood.

Seeing that nothing was going to get to her servant at the moment, Integra looked away from the cackling vampire and made her way out of the office.

ooooooooo

In the cold, dark, expanse of the North Pole few things roamed. As a rule this place was too remote and too desolate to support any type of life. On this day though, this arid wasteland was host to one visitor. Garbed in golden armor, a man strode across the ice as if he owned it. Mamoru Chiba, otherwise known as Endymion, Prince of Earth, was on a mission. Once, several years ago, he had been here before. Back then his mind was filled to the brim with falsehoods and half-truths. Now that they were banished from his consciousness he had returned to claim the prize that he longed for. The cold of this place did not bother him, Mamoru's power was more than enough to stave off any deleterious effects. Even if it could reach him though, it would have not mattered. His mind was too preoccupied with his goal to let such trivialities alter his course. The only obstacle in his path was his own memory, the last time he had been to this place he had been under the control of Beryl and Mettalia and his memories of that time were muddled, as such the portal to the Negaverse eluded him. But, like the chill in the air, he would not let such things stop him.

Eventually, after many hours of looking, he found that which he had been searching for. Now that he found it, Mamoru realized why the portal had been so hard to find, it was invisible. When the former Prince of Earth first started this little endeavor he understood that finding his quarry would be difficult. The battle between the Senshi and Beryl had undoubtedly caused massive destruction to the area, but to his dismay he not only did not find any trace of battle, he was also unable to even tell that ANYTHING had ever been here. When he first arrived the lack of any landmarks had given him pause, them being missing would greatly hinder his progress. Given time though, he had able to filter out the chaos that was the magical fields of the North Pole. This lead him towards the portal proper, but even uncovering the aperture was not a walk in the park. Whoever had gone to the trouble of returning this place to its prior state had also ensured that the portal was practically nonexistent. Had his memories of his past life not returned with such crystal clarity, he most certainly would have been unable to distinguish it from the background radiation.

With the entrance to the Negaverse found, it was a simple matter to gently pry it open. If there was any difficulty to the the whole process, it was trying to open the portal in a manner that would not set off any alarms. But in the end, the way was made open and, for the moment, it appeared as if his intrusion had gone unnoticed. And so, without a look back at the world he was leavening, Mamoru Chiba stepped through the portal and into the unknown.

When the swirling colors of the portal faded from his sight Mamoru found himself in the Royal Gardens. It was just the same as it had been when Endymion, Crown Prince of Earth, had first proclaimed his love for the queen of a small northern kingdom. His thoughts of a time which the world forgot, yet remained forever etched into his mind, were cut short by the sound of something in the bushes. The eerie half-light in this place was more than enough to catch a flash of gray. In a instant the prince had crossed the gap between him and the hidden form. With as much force as he could muster, Mamoru pressed his left arm against what he thought was the being's upper chest. His other hand held his sword, the sharp point of the blade was a hairs-breath away from piercing the form's flesh. "Scream for help and you will be dust before the sound can leave this courtyard."

"Heh heh," chuckled the figure deeply. "So Endymion, I see you still charge too aggressively. I would have hoped that all those millennia would have improved your swordsmanship."

"Kunzite," spit Mamoru in disgust. "So that is why my gems were stolen."

"Indeed."

"Tell me why I shouldn't put you out of my misery," asked Mamoru as he pressed a bit more of his blade against the general's flesh.

"Wait my lord," exclaimed Kunzite quickly. "I am no longer that, thing, which tormented you and the Senshi all those years ago. Once more, I am the man who advised you so well both in ancient times and again from my place on your mantle."

Mamoru let up on the pressure he applied to his sword by a little bit. "You remember being a spirit?"

"Every moment," intoned Kunzite solemnly. His tone then changed to a more conspiratory bent, "Including that time when you had a certain Sailor Moon on your couch."

Before he could continue Mamoru moved his left hand to cover the man's mouth. "Will you shut up about that! Besides, we aren't together anymore."

Kunzite raised an eyebrow at that. "So I take it that you remember everything now?"

"If you mean Beryl, then yes." As the young man said the woman's name, a wistful expression graced his features.

"She misses you."

"Then she remembers who she was too?!" At this piece of news, the former Crown Prince of Earth staggered backwards from his advisor.

Kunzite reached out to his lord and grasped him by the shoulders. "Not only her my lord, we all are as we were. Our resurrection has freed our minds and hearts from Mettalia's machinations."

"Then why the Youma attacks?"

With a sigh, the general turned away. "It . . . is complicated. I will let Beryl explain." At that the man began to walk off.

"Wait! What if I am seen?"

"I wouldn't worry about that," replied the gray-haired man cryptically.

"Why not," asked Mamoru as he caught up to his former servant.

"Though you may have regained your memories my lord, you are not yourself. The time you have spent with the Senshi has dulled your skills. In the past, your presence would have gone unnoticed for a long while. Now though, we knew of your arrival the instant you set foot upon the northern glacial mass."

At that piece of knowledge Mamoru paled and began to look for any Youma. "Then why didn't Mettalia order me captured?"

"Mettalia cares not for who we deal with, only that our job is complete." The tone conveyed in that sentence was one of defeat.

"If she doesn't care, why don't you just rise up and stop her?"

"I will let Beryl explain that." With that the general considered the conversation concluded and made no further sounds other than the rhythmic steps which echoed throughout the vacant halls.

Taking Kunzite's silence for what it meant, Mamoru decided to take this opportunity to carefully observe the compound. Though the site where he had emerged in the Negaverse was an exact replica of the Royal Gardens, the rest of the castle bore little similarity to that now-destroyed abode. Instead, the walls were nearly the same as they had been when he had been held in the control of Beryl several years ago. Darkness was the only word that could describe it. It was as if someone had dove into the minds of the worst people in human history and used what they found as inspiration for the architecture that surrounded him. Had that been all, Mamoru would have chocked it up to Negaverse design philosophy and not batted an eye, but everywhere he looked he could see signs that someone had gone to great pains to lighten up the place. Where there had been dark oppressive halls, there were now large windows installed that allowed light to seep in. Though the light of the Negaverse was not as ample as it was on Earth, it was just enough to illuminate the various tapestries and frescoes which had been placed throughout the structure. To Mamoru's mind it was an odd juxtaposition, like Usagi had moved into home of Dracula or something.

Mamoru's journey through the Negaverse castle was a long one, filled with so many twists and turns that he could not keep track enough to remember his way out. Finally though, Kunzite led him to a pair of ornate doors nearly two stories in height. "A tad ostentatious, wouldn't you agree?"

At that the stone faced general cracked a smile. "Heh, yes. I have had similar thoughts on many occasions. But like the rest of this place, these doors and the room beyond them were designed by people much different than we are." With a single hand, Kunzite applied the slightest of force yet the great doors before them both opened effortlessly.

Beyond the massive gateway lay an opulent bedroom of positively epic proportions. Never, in their wildest dreams, had any of the most powerful men and women of Earth's past conceived of such a room. Why the bed alone could have easily supported a dozen beneath those silken sheets. All throughout the chamber there were testaments to an ego which was unparalleled by the greatest of conquerers. Yet, in a small corner of the staggering display of wealth there was arranged a small, and rather plain, chair. Upon this oddly placed piece of furniture sat a woman reading from a dusty tome. In times past, this feminine creature would have filled the room with her presence. The room's vastness would have been dwarfed by her sense of purpose and well being. Now though, as she sat in the small chair, it was as if she was a child in her parent's bedroom. Beryl, self appointed Queen of the Negaverse and the woman who laid low the mighty Moon Kingdom, had lost all of that former magnificence. She was nothing more than a figurehead now, and what is more, it was a position that she didn't desire in the least.

To Mamoru, the sight he beheld ranked among the most terrible of both of his lives. Where once her eyes held within their depths a brilliance and fire that dwarfed the greatest of novas, now all that remained was but the most meager of embers. Her curves, just as ample and magnificent as they had always been, seemed somehow diminished, as if the life had been sucked from her. Never, not even when the news of her parent's untimely demise reached her, had she looked so beaten down. It was all Mamoru could do to not look away in horror and sorrow. Still, his self control was not strong enough to keep his gasp of shock suppressed.

Like an arcane ritual to summon some long forgotten terror, the gasp, so laden with shock and dismay, drew Beryl from the yellowed pages of the tome that sat on her lap. The woman's gaze rose up oh so slowly. In times long since past, her reactions would have measured in the milliseconds. Though she had been Queen of the Negaverse it did not mean that others were unopposed to a sudden shift in power. Assassination attempts had been common back in those days. Now though, should someone have the inclination to end her life, well there was a good chance that she would help guide the dagger on its deadly journey. Such melancholy thoughts where instantly banished to the ether as Beryl laid eyes on the intruder into her abode. There, in the archway to her room stood him. Her heart looked unchanged from the days of old. Resplendent in his golden armor and standing with every ounce of confidence that she knew him to posses, it was as if she were dreaming. Dream or no, it was a sight she had always wanted to see. As such Beryl bolted up out of her chair with a speed and energy that her previous state had not suggested.

If the glee filled cry of "Enymion" that issued forth from Beryl did nothing to convince the golden-armored man that this was a different woman than when last he saw her, then tears of joy and wide smile were sure to have cracked his stony visage. Still though, this was a woman who had, a few years ago, bent his mind to her will. So, he needed to be sure. Was she the woman that he had once loved, or was she that creature who had warped his mind to her dark deeds? Before Beryl could wrap her arms around him, Mamoru reached out and took hold of her by the shoulders. It was clear from the look on her face that she was confused and hurt at the actions of her heart's desire. He almost let go at that expression, but his course was set. "Tell me. Who were our children?"

Though her love's arms had brought her body to a halt, it was his words that ceased the motions of her mind. Then, as if a series of gears had been engaged, Beryl's mind slowly began to spin up into overdrive. She realized that he was testing her, but it made no since. They had never had any children, so why would he ask this of her? Why, they had only planed out what they would call them. That must be it! As she had been before, such a question would have only garnered her, more than considerable, ire. Looking up into her love's orbs she smiled. "We were going to call our son Ulric after my grandfather. And our daughter was going to be Artimicia after, if I remember correctly, a character in one of the Atlantian children's stories."

Endymion knew then that this Beryl was truly the one he had loved that day in the Royal Gardens so many millennia ago. With a fierceness that was a testament to his love to her, he pulled his fiancé close and pressed his lips to her own. His was the passion of the ages, of love once thought lost now found to never be separated. This is what his heart had always secretly longed for those times he had been with Usagi. For years he had thought himself to be weak and foolish for his treatment of her. Now, he knew why he had behaved as he had. Despite the aegis Luna had placed upon him, some part of his soul kept the flame for this woman burning. Whereas before, said flame was but the most meager of flickering, the vain final attempt to hold the cold darkness at bay, now it exploded like a untold millions of brilliant novas.

As the dream of countless sleepless nights was made manifest upon her needy lips, Beryl could not help but moan into her love's embrace. By the gods did she want this man. Before the betrayal she had tried everything in order to bed him. Unfortunately he was just too wily, but, she thought with a smile, such trials make the end oh so much sweeter. This time though, she did know if she would be able to hold back. Despite the sex that had forced upon her by Metalia's twisted machinations, Beryl wanted the intangible feeling of completeness that she knew in her soul that she would feel. Her wanting was made all the more palatable by the knowledge that the man whose lips were pressed so firmly against her own would flit away if she suggested anything further. After several minutes of exploring the most minute details of her love's mouth Beryl had reached a point where her need for oxygen outweighed her need for coupling.

While Beryl gasped for air, Mamoru growled ferally. That was way more powerful than he had ever thought it could be. Like the woman in his arms, he needed more. There was a time when he would have suppressed his need. Tradition would have ruled him. Now, after several mental manipulations and deaths, he realized that the now was sometimes far more important than any later. Looking back at the doors and the smiling Kunzite who stood there, Mamoru sent a wave of force at the massive gateway. The general was blown backwards, but more importantly the doors flew shut.

The sound of the gargantuan doors slamming shut with the speed that Endymion had imparted them with caused Beryl to jump. She had been so occupied by her fright that she did not notice that her love had changed in her arms. When she came back to her senses, the woman noticed that Endymion was gone and in his place as a raggedly clothed Mamoru. Luckily for the man, when he had changed the magic gave him a shower and shave of a sort. Looking at the depowered form of her love Beryl could not help but let her confusion show on her face. "What?"

Beryl's answer soon came when Mamoru ripped his shirt off and smiled at her roguishly. "I thought I would do it before you tried."

"But you said that you wanted to wait," protested Beryl weakly. The sight of her love bare chested sent many a warm sensation through her body as it prepared itself for what her mind and heart wanted with such fervor.

"I think ten thousand plus years was more than I had intended," answered Mamoru with a sly smile. "Don't you."

That was all the prompting that Beryl needed. With a lusty growl, she jumped onto her other half and wrapped herself around him. As Endymion walked them over to her extraordinarily spacious bed, she could not help but moan as his motions produced fabulous sensations from where their centers were pressed together. Through the pleasure, she could see that he was paying little attention to where he was walking, instead all his concentration was on her and their combined lips. So, it came no surprise when his legs struck the end of the bed and they fell forward onto the soft mattress. With no real conscious thought behind their actions, the couple scooted along the covers till some subconscious signal called for them to stop their forward motions. Now, cloths were all that separated them the couple from their goals. Having conquered the millennia and other implacable foes, their flimsy garments stood little chance against the combined need of the man and woman. Sounds of ripping fabric punctuated erotic moans and groans of their ecstasy. For Beryl, the rest of her night was more than her most fevered of dreams could have possibly envisioned. Though her love was new to this art, he was well dedicated and she was more than willing to teach him all that she could. Before their night was over life was brighter than either had ever known.

ooooooooo

Outside, as Endymion and Beryl started their passionate activities, Kunzite lay on the floor. Despite being slightly miffed that his lord felt it necessary to blow him on his ass rather than asking him to leave, the former dark general could not help but smile wildly. It was good to see Beryl so upbeat. Even though she had turned them in her bid for revenge, both he and the others agreed that she had not gone unpunished for her actions. As such, they did not necessarily hold any ill feelings towards her. "_Besides_," he thought grimly, "_Us prisoners have to stick together_."

Speaking of his fellow prisoners, in his field of vision appeared Zoicite. Instantly a wave of revulsion passed over him as nearly ten thousand years of depravity bounced through his mind. "Hello, Zoicite," said Kunzite stiffly. With all the speed available, he rolled sideways and pushed himself off the ground.

Though Kunzite did not see it, Zoicite flinched at the cold tone that his long time friend addressed him with. Sure, when he had seen the gray haired man the same images had run through his mind. Instead of turning around though, he had gone on and walked over to the man. "Kunzite. Wait please."

"Why should I?"

"We were friends. I don't like seeing us like this."

"How else can we be?"

"I don't know," yelled Zoicite in frustration. "I just know that I want something like we had before."

"We'll see. But right now. Its just too soon." With that Kunzite just walked off into the dark recesses of the castle.

Zoicite was left in the hall alone, watching as his friend vanished in the distance. He had always been the more emotional of the two. In a way it was probably one of many reasons for his forced feminization. To see such a close comrade act in such a manner towards him just tore at him. With a painful sigh, Zoicite turned and began to shuffle his way towards the training center. Suddenly he had an overpowering urge to hit something and there was only one place to get such an urge relived. His mind was so occupied with Kunzite and other things that he never noticed the other occupant of the hallway. He only became aware of the other when he rushed headlong into him.

After a second of thought on Zoicite's part, it was no wonder that he had completely missed the man he ran into. Nephrite was always so damn quite. "Oh, hi Neph."

"Zoicite," uttered the brown haired general gruffly. Though he rarely ever got angry with people, Nephrite was always the sort of person who seemed to exist in an ever-present bad mood. The man rarely cracked a smile, usually the only things to produce such an effect was his tinkering, combat, or being thoroughly plastered. "Was that Kunzite I saw storming off?"

Reflexively, the pony-tailed man turned to look back at where his friend had stormed off. "Yeah," he said sadly. "I tried talking to him. He just wouldn't let me."

"Kunzite has always been a rather private man," stated Nephrite. "I doubt that he would readily discuss what had occurred between you two."

"I know that," bemoaned Zoicite. "Its just that we used to be the closest of friends. Now he can't even look at me."

"Do you blame him?"

"No! I wish I could."

"Come on," said Nephrite with uncommon warmth. "We need to get you drunk."

"Heh," laughed Zoicite weakly. "On any other day I would disagree. Today though? Let's get sloshed."

ooooooooo

In an ice cream shop some distance from the Japanese Hellsing compound two blond women each sat silently nursing a bowl of frozen confection. At first blush one could mistake the ladies for sisters. The one with glasses and sporting a cold exterior was clearly the older of the two. As the men, and a woman or two, looked at her stern visage only one thought came to their minds. "_That woman is one stone cold bitch_." Though she had said virtually nothing to anyone in the store, there was something about her that put all ill at ease. All that is save for the younger blond who sat with her. That one was the essence of a good natured soul. When she had walked by, everyone, no matter who they were, were treated to a glorious smile courtesy of that walking angel. To the eyes of all, it was as if she had a bright corona around her that held her companion's aura of ill feelings at bay.

After having purchased their respective deserts the duo sat at one of the booths to the rear of the establishment. For several minutes, not a word was spoken by either woman. Finally, the elder of the pair, one Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, spoke up. "Tell me Usagi. Why have I been forced to utilize this establishment?"

"It's so stuffy back that the compound. You needed to get out and live," answered Integra's companion. Usagi Tsukino looked up from her treat with a smile. "Besides, it gives us a chance to get to know each other."

"I live quite well, thank you," answered the foreign woman stiffly. "And all I need to know about you I read in your file."

Having dealt with people who could be colder than the woman across from her, Usagi was not deterred from her mission. "Why are you so mean to me?" Where as before this would have been asked with a flood of tears, now the question was uttered in almost a casual tone.

"You are a Vampire and a subordinate. Neither lends itself to friendly chats."

Usagi raised an eyebrow at Integra's answer. "So being a Vampire means that you can treat me like dirt?"

"By all rights I should put a steak through your black heart and cut off your head for good measure," hissed Integra.

"And who gave you that right," demanded Usagi. By now her tone and mannerisms had slipped into the so-called "Princess Serenity" mode.

"God and the Church of England," answered Integra with the smug confidence that only a true believer can truly pull off.

With but a thought, Usagi willed it so that everyone else in the store lost all interest in herself and Integra. A thought later and a glowing crystal appeared above the table. "This is the Silver Crystal," intoned the woman wisely. "The Senshi and my advisors think that it is simply a tool, a relic from the past. But they have no idea what it truly is."

"And what would that be?" Integra was not impressed with this little light show of the neo-vampire's. In her life she had seen many an incredible thing, a glowing rock was not high on her awe meter.

"Why don't you see for yourself." On cue, a beam of white light shot out and struck Integra in the forehead.

ooooooooo

As her vision was engulfed in a brilliance greater than the galactic core, the only thought on Integra's mind was anger. She had been foolish. The air of innocence which hung around Usagi like a ever-present aura of sweet sugarness had clouded her normally keen tactical skills. She had never expected the young girl to engage in any sort of hostile behavior against her person in such an open setting. And what has her naivety wrought? Who knows what this wolf in sheep's clothing could do to her body while her mind was occupied in this vast expanse of whiteness. Speaking of her prison, Integra thought it an odd one for a vampire of Usagi's power.

"This is no prison Integra," intoned a voice that echoed throughout the vastness.

Instantly Integra's heart stopped. While she was no stranger to mysterious voices issuing forth from the ether, her years with Alucard inoculated her against such phenomenon, the previous owner of said vocalization is what made her blood run cold. The last time she had heard this voice was when her father gasped his last breaths on that cold spring morning. Even with all of his depravity, Alucard had never stooped so low as to use him against her. "When I get out of this," she yelled to her invisible jailer, "I swear I will personally drive the steak through your cold black heart, Usagi Tsukino!"

"Tell me Integra," asked her father's voice wryly. "Is this how you treat everyone?"

"You are not my father! You are an illusion."

"All of life is but a dream my dear Integra. Tell me, does this feel like some vampire's dreadful false imagery?"

A sudden uncertainty crept into her being. The disembodied voice was right. After the start of her tenure as Hellsing's leader, Integra had taken the liberty of personally leading several missions against the vampire legion. During those excursions more than one of her foes had employed illusionary trickery against her. What she had noticed about all those incidents was that they had engendered a feeling of wrongness in her. According to Alucard, it was a sign that her will was subconsciously fighting against the mental manipulations. The No-Life King had assured her that it was a testament to her truly formidable will. As she examined her surroundings Integra was dismayed to find that no such feelings permeated this place. Instead, much to her dismay, all that she encountered was a sense of peace and warmth that she had only felt in the presence of her father, all those years ago. "This can not be! It must be some sort of trick."

"Why do you doubt it so?"

"But," she choked, "you are dead."

"Death is not always the end that we believe it to be," replied her father's voice. At that a form began to coalesce in the vast whiteness. To begin with, it was vague and indistinct, but one thing was perfectly clear, it was moving towards the awestruck woman. With each step closer though, the being became more and more defined. Finally, to the eyes of anyone who watched this unusual scene, it gained the appearance of a kindly man with a short beard. "Hello my dearest Integra."

To Integra it was as if time had fallen away, all the years, all the pain, washed away by that simple greeting. Suddenly, as she looked upon the sight of her father the way he had been before illness had ravaged his body, the head of the Helsing Organization felt as if she had been transported back in time. Without thought or reservation, she ran towards the one she had missed so fervently. Though the distance was not far, it felt like an eternity to Integra. When she reached her father, she did not notice how she had become younger. Here, in the white vastness, the young child inside the cold woman that was Integra wept upon the shoulder of her father. By God, had she missed this. Since that day long ago when she fell into a dark room in the Hellsing compound and awoke the Vampire Lord, Alucard, a childhood held little appeal to her. Instead her life had been about training and bloodshed. Now though, that long forgotten time came rushing back upon her like a great wave. For this instant she would swim in the currents of the past with a boundless joy. "Oh father, it feels so good to see you," she gasped as happy tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I too relish this opportunity. But I must ask you a question."

It was strange, any other time the tone in her father's voice would have set off a myriad of alarms in Integra's mind. Right now though, she looked up at the troubled visage of her father and was worried for his well being. "Father, what is wrong?"

The elder Hellsing looked at his daughter sadly, "Integra, my dearest one, why do you treat Usagi so shamefully?"

A wave of shock passed though the young woman like a tsunami. "But she is a Vampire father. You yourself told me of their evil."

"Indeed I did. But that was not all I taught you, was it? What did I say in regards to looking at a situation?"

"That a situation, no matter how good or ill it appears to be, is layered," responded Integra dutifully. "It is the wise man who knows when to look beneath the surface to find the truth."

"Exactly! But with Usagi you have ignored the substance in favor of the fact that she is a Vampire." Seeing that his daughter was about to interrupt, he placed a finger upon her lips. "My dearest one, we are united in this place through her will alone. Her's is a purity that was spoken of by the Church and our Lord God. By denying her, you deny him."

"_Is such a thing possible for a vampire_," she asked of herself. While it was true that everything about the young woman belied every notion of Nosferatu that she had grown to know and despise, Usagi did still consort with the dark powers. Integra had seen the girl's powers by way of video tapings. Of course Alucard, the insufferable cad, had taken great pains to outline fully the breath of his newfound apprentice's powers. Did such dalliances mean that the young woman's soul was dammed? Or were her own notions of right and wrong, which were usually so acutely keen, in error in this instance? She did not know, and that scared her more than the gravest of ghouls.

In a voice far more plaintive than anyone had heard her speak with in a long time, Integra asked of her father, "What should I do, Father?"

The elder Hellsing looked at his daughter with a reproachful, yet friendly, smile. "I did not raise you to rely on anyone. We are here for your illumination, not to dictate a path." Then with a slight conspiratory wink, he added, "But since you asked. I think you should go with Usagi. She seems like a nice enough young lady."

"She is, isn't she," replied Integra with a wistful smile. "One can almost find themselves liking her if they are not careful."

Arthur barked out a joyous laugh. "Yes! Quite right!" Suddenly, and to the surprise of Integra, an odd and slightly manic grin split the man's features. "Just as long as you do not like her too much. After all, I do want to see a grandchild or three."

Integra let off a scandalized screech as the whiteness which surrounded them became blinding once more.

ooooooooo

With her father's raucous laughter echoing in her ears, Integra's world slowly filled with color once more. The blinding whiteness of a moment ago was pulled into the matrix of the crystal that glittered above Usagi's outstretched palm. "That was . . .," she gasped in amazement.

"Yeah," nodded the younger woman with a friendly smile. "I've been using it for years and it still does that to me." Seeing that the symbol of her birthright was no longer necessary, Usagi returned the Silver Crystal to its resting place within her soul.

"Where did it come from?"

"According to Luna, it is the tear of a god. Shed when he had to leave the first Serenity to return to the heavens." For a moment, she grew introspective. If the story was true, and if the god in question was THE God, then it could mean that the Crystal was even more powerful than they had initially though. But such thoughts only lasted for an instant. "So, how did it go? Do I have to worry about a steak in my, "Cold, black, heart"?"

Integra laughed awkwardly at the rather reasonable question. "It went well. I was able to see my father as he was before the illness destroyed him. I do not think I can ever repay you for that," she admitted softly.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I am more than happy to help you like that." "_Especially when it doesn't end with me nailed to the floor,_" she thought wryly.

Both women allowed the sounds of the ice cream parlor to wash around them for a time as they basked in the warmth of the other's company. Finally though, Integra broke the silence in an uncharacteristically soft tone, "And as for your second question. I swear by God and Queen, you shall need not fear Hellsing." Instantly, Integra knew that she had said the right thing, as the warmth of Usagi's smile resonated within her.

"That's awesome," gushed the younger woman happily. "I knew ice cream was going to help me again."

From the odd grin Usagi sported, Integra was not quite sure whether or not was serious. But for the first time in a long while she did not really want to know; preferring instead to just let the comment pass without question.

ooooooooo

A room within the Cherry Hill shrine was the site of a rather frigid meeting. Before, these people had met up to discuss business, unfortunately, the actions of one participant had ended the prior gathering rather abruptly. On one side of the large stone table sat Naru and Umino. The female of the pair sat so rigidly that she appeared to be made of the most frigid of glacial ice. Meanwhile, her companion seemed friendly, if somewhat pained.

Across the table, huddled in one mass, was the totality of the Sailor Senshi; at least the ones that actually came. Each had there own reasons. Some, like Ami and Minako wanted to learn more about their new allies to further increase their odds of winning this current conflict. A few, namely Rei and Haruka wanted to know why these two newcomers to the demon-hunting field looked down on them like the rankest of armatures. Michiru and Hotaru were just interested to know the goings on in general. The only Senshi of the group who sat separate was Setsuna. When asked about her presence she mentioned something about time streams and paradoxes. That had managed to permanently shut the curious up. Of course, none could know that the motive behind her attendance was a desire to see the drama unfold first hand; and if she could stir some mischief into the situation, well that would make it all the sweeter.

For several minutes silence reigned supreme within the confines of the crowded room. Finally, it was an irritated Naru who broke the stalemate. "Well, why did you call us?"

The Senshi turned en-mass to Haruka, the one who had been the instigator of the whole affair. "Why are you all looking at me? All I said was, "I wonder why they've been all dickish?""

Ami sighed, it was true. That had been the comment which precipitated this whole affair. Turning to Naru with a look of chagrin, she said, "I guess we can start there."

To the surprise of some, the only sound the woman emitted was a growl.

Before his love could say anything too rash, Umino jumped in. "What she meant to say was that she is upset that you stole Usagi from us."

"Damn straight," exclaimed Naru.

"Hey, we didn't do anything like that," cried Rei defensively.

"Didn't you," hissed Naru. For years she had carried this, with only Umino to vent to. Now these so-called defenders of "love and justice" would hear the other side of the story. "Usagi was our friend. She had been with us for years. Then you all come around and BAM cast aside like last night's stir fry! She stopped hanging with us, hell she stopped really speaking to us. All so she could do was hang with her little clique." The venom with with she yelled at the assembled mass shocked them all, especially from one that had seemed so supportive of the Senshi. But none were able to get a word in edge wise, the head of steam Naru had built up was too great for that. "And what did Usagi get for you friendship, huh? Nothing but heartache. I've seen how it tore her up when you berated her for being herself. It was not good enough that she actually put up with your shit. No you had to complain that she didn't do everything just perfect. Even when she saved the day, she wasn't fast enough was she? She didn't have enough poise, she wasn't smart enough, she tripped over her own hair. Christ! I can't count how many times I've pulled Umino and myself out of some rubble to the sounds of "perfect princess Sailor Mars" yelling for all to hear about how poorly her supposed friend did!"

Throughout Naru's passionate tirade, all the Senshi could do was sit and wince as point after point was driven home. Most of them had acted exactly as the woman described. Sure, it may not be all the time, but it was more than they should. And it had only gotten worst with each revelation about Princess Serenity or the still-to-come Crystal Tokyo. How many times had they demanded that their friend cast aside youth in favor of a persona long dead or decades off? Had anyone else been asked to make similar changes to themselves? Minako was allowed to mangle Japanese language to an astonishing degree, while she and Makoto tracked down every hot guy like dogs in heat. Ami nearly left the team for that study thing, no one but herself stopped her from going. Would they have ever allowed Usagi the same courtesy? And of course there was Haruka and Michiru, who had, on multiple occasions, questioned their leader's fitness and had even gone so far as to openly rebel.

"She was probably trying to protect you two," countered Rei weakly. Having her sins thrust in her face made her words sound weak and hollow.

"From what precisely," countered Umino calmly. He may not hate the Senshi with the passion that his love possessed, but the pain they caused her did anger him to a degree. "I mean honestly, how many dates, meetings, or just regular days were completely ruined by some freak with a take-over-the-world plot? If you had shared her with us then maybe we all would be friends by now. Maybe you would have someone who wasn't a Senshi to talk to, someone who could listen."

"He's right you know." Surprisingly, that statement came from Minako. For once, at least outside of battle, the bubbly school girl was gone in favor of the stable, seasoned, warrior that lurked beneath the surface. Looking into the shocked eyes of her friends, she explained herself. "Do any of you remember the last real friend you had outside of the Senshi? I know I do, and it was years ago. Back when I was just Sailor V, I had some friends that knew about me. I was just thirteen, and suddenly a talking cat comes and tells me that I have to save the world. I freaked and told my friends. Of, course they thought I was crazy, until Sailor V saved them that is." By that point she had stopped looking at those around her, and instead gazed across the years as her memories carried her. "It was so great to talk to them. No matter how bad it got, I knew they would be there for me, like my own little cheer squad. And they never even pretended to understand what I was going through. They just did their best, in what ever ways they could, to make sure that I knew that there was light, no matter how dark the world got."

Suddenly though, a tear slid down her cheek. "But we were too close. My enemies found out about them. They weren't hurt badly, but they were hurt. And it was my fault. My playing hero got them hurt. Sure, they got better, but I could never let myself get too close to them again."

"So Usagi was right in keeping away from them," asked a confused Hotaru. Of all the Senshi, she was the only one who hadn't had friends prior to joining up. So, she really didn't know what Minako was getting at.

"Yes and no," replied Ami, who by then had begun to understand the magnitude of their foolishness. "Its always a good thing to protect your friends. But Naru and Umino have been in danger so many times that its stupid to push them away. I mean, it did not really do much to protect them, did it? And think of all the attacks that we could have known of sooner had they been able to call us."

Without any prompting, Minako bowed to their new allies. "I would like to apologize for myself and all the Senshi. We never meant to cause you, or anyone else, any of the pain you had to experience."

For her part, Naru did not know what to do with herself. For so long she had built up these women as unrepentant witches, now though, there was one of those same devils begging her forgiveness. Minako's story had touched her, as did the fact that the woman saw that there were two sides to this whole affair and that each was as valid as the other. The Senshi of Love's tears did their fair share to cool the flames of Naru's ire. Still, there was a vendetta that had been carried within her with such a ferocity that few could match it. "I," she started before her resentment caught up with her once more.

Through the link that he and his love shared, Umino knew the twirling cauldron of mixed emotion that surged within Naru's soul. Furthermore, he knew of her most deeply barred secret, she wanted to forgive them. For a long while, before realization and resentment clouded her vision, Naru had loved the Sailor Senshi. Hell, she had wanted to become one. That had been buried by time and the painful knowledge that even heroes are still just human. So, it was for that small part of her soul that Umino answered. "I don't think she can forgive you yet. Its too soon." The resigned, yet understanding expression on the faces of their companions made it clear that they recognized the truth of his words. Still though, these had been his heroes as well, and it did not feel right to leave them without some hope. "Just give her some time, and some space, and hopefully it will happen."

Smiles of encouragement abounded within most of the Senshi camp. Only Haruka remained stoic to what transpired. But perceiving an opening, she rushed into the friendly silence that embraced the room. "So," she began with an almost accusatory tone, "what plans do you have for Crystal Tokyo."

"I doubt they know about it," responded Ami. "It is not something we talk about that openly."

"You're right! But let's assume they do, and go from there." To Haruka it seemed to be an obvious question. Despite the lack of real threats during the years since Galaxia, there had been a few nuts that sought the demise of the future kingdom. They had all been defeated in rather short order, but still, it was good to know who the enemy was as soon as possible.

The previous conversation may had derailed her thought processes, but this new line of questions put her back on track. Sitting back, as if she was reclining into a chair, Naru smiled smugly. "Oh we know about it all right. Terra told us all about your plans for her."

Haruka took a moment to cast a smug grin Ami's way before asking, "Well."

"Terra will not permit herself to become a slave to a reborn Moon Kingdom."

Instantly, cries of outrage issued forth from various members of the Senshi. Sure, the Moon Kingdom may not have been all sunshine and daffodils like they had once thought, but Crystal Tokyo was supposed to be a paradise of biblical proportions. How could anyone equate such a eden to slavery? It was only Setsuna's raised hand that stopped some of the Senshi from transforming and attacking the earthly couple.

"Please," said the Senshi of Time calmly, "allow them to explain themselves before atomizing them. I doubt Rei's grandfather would appreciate you destroying his home."

Some of the more hotheaded Senshi had the decency to blush with embarrassment as they realized where they were. Especially the resident shrine maiden. She had been so outraged that she completely forgotten where she was in her rush to dispatch the couple.

Despite his newfound power, seeing the assembled group of Senshi about to attack was more than a little disconcerting to Umino. But, in his moment of weakness, Terra lent a measure of its strength to her champion. Bolstered by the warmth of Earth, Umino continued where his love had left off. "Do any of you know why Earth is the only planet that survived the fall of the Moon Kingdom?"

"Because Beryl didn't want to screw up her home," answered Haruka sarcastically.

Umino shook his head. "Fighting had gone on here too. No, the reason is that every biosphere other than Earth had their controlling spells tied directly into the Silver Crystal."

"So when the Queen died, she took the Moon Kingdom with her," concluded a horrified Ami.

"Yeah," replied Naru. "What Beryl couldn't do, Serenity did for her. But even before that, the idyllic Moon Kingdom was built upon the enslaved backs of it's planets."

"That is twice you have said the planets were enslaved. Can you clarify that," asked Ami. She may not like the choice of words, nor did she appreciate the woman's tone that much, but learning about their former lives was always fascinating to the blue-haired Senshi of Mercury.

"Let me ask you all a question," responded Umino. "Did any of your planets ask you to be their guardians?"

"No, we were appointed by the Queen," answered Setsuna, the only Senshi who actually remembered her indoctrination ceremony.

"Precisely. Each of your worlds had no say in what was done to them. As each world was colonized, the mages forcibly awoke the planet's soul and forced it to do their bidding. The enslavement was only compounded by the Serenitys when they began assigning Senshi, without so much as asking the world. Each time one of you cast a spell, it is like whipping a slave." Because of everything Terra had shown them, Umino could not help but be enraged by such events.

None of the Senshi were willing to believe that they were perpetuating such an evil upon an innocent, but Setsuna's impassive stare did much to quell those thoughts. "It is interesting to hear it put that way," said the Senshi of Time softly. "On a few worlds, mostly the inner planets mind you, several groups protested the treatment of their worlds. Of course, nothing much was thought of their position. After all, a planet was no more alive than a rock, so what did it matter that we used its energy in a productive manner? It was only after a lonely millennia or so did I even think of researching their assertions."

"What were you able to find," asked Ami, fascination clear on her features.

"Did you know that each of us have a castle? They are built upon the central font of power for the planet. Each are the most magnificent structures that the Moon Kingdom ever produced."

"You said 'are,'" observed Hotaru. "Does that mean that they are still there?"

"Yes. Unlike the spells that maintained the environment, and most of everything else, the maintenance of the palaces remained a planetary responsibility."

"Why didn't you tell us about this sooner Setsuna," growled Haruka.

"Honestly, it never came up," replied the Senshi of Time.

"Then why, pray tell, did you bring this up now," inquired Michiru. While this may be interesting, she really did not see the point of this line of discussion.

"I was simply proving some background information for what I really wanted to say." Suddenly finding her mouth extremely dry, Setsuna took a sip of tea. "In the course of pursuing the radical's claims, I uncovered the truth. We had done just as Umino and Naru had said." To the surprise of those who knew her, a silent stream of tears ran down the normally stoic woman's cheeks. "Have you ever heard a planet scream? When I heard my world cry for the first time, I felt ashamed to be called a Senshi. By God, I don't think I stopped crying for months. And what made it worse was that there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it."

The rest of the Senshi couldn't help but feel a measure of disgust for their calling. "Can we do something now," asked Hotaru plaintively. For her, the only thing that had made being a Senshi worthwhile was her ability to heal. If she was harming an innocent life to help others then she was perpetuating an evil.

"It is possible that Usagi can help but I do not know how. And if she severs the connection to save the worlds then there may be no way for us to regain our powers. At least not in time for the coming battle."

Among Umino and Naru, the aghast expressions on the faces of the Senshi did much to dampen the ire they had inherited from Earth. Such shock and disgust could not be fabricated. Right then, the couple knew that, no matter how long it took, and how much it cost them personally, these girls would do their best to right the wrongs their forbears had wrought. There would be an accord between them and the Senshi. They may never prove to be on friendly terms, but they would fight side by side, no matter the threat to the planet. The warm stream of support from the planet only served to enforce that resolution.

With the permission of her chosen, Earth spoke through both Umino and Naru. "My children. Though you represent other worlds, you were born of me. I see now that my harshness towards you was unfounded. You shall have my support so long as your goals are the same as my own. But know this, should you ever fall on your old ways, all of my power shall be turned against you."

Earth's proclamation of cooperation buoyed the troubled spirits of the Senshi. And though her threat may have once invoked their ire, now each woman saw it for what it was; a warning. Each Senshi welcomed Earth's scrutiny, their power was such that it was comforting to know that there was someone out there making sure that the mistakes of the past were not repeated.

ooooooooo

As a new alliance was being formed within the flimsy walls of the Hikawa Shrine, a couple reluctantly pulled apart from their love making. As far as Mamoru and Beryl were concerned, the last few hours had been time well spent. When they had started their activities, neither had fully appreciated the depths of their desire for the other. Only now, as their bodies protested against their lengthy, yet pleasurable, exertions, did the couple understand how much they still wanted each other. Luckily, their magic would provide them with ample opportunity to fully sate their intense need. The only thing that stood in the way of a nearly endless chain of pleasure filled days was a virtually unbeatable foe.

From her place upon her love's hard, sweat-slick, chest, Beryl asked, "When do you have to go?"

"I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore."

"But what about the Senshi? Won't they need you to help them?"

"I suppose they will. But I am not going to leave you or your people just to help them plan. When they come, you and I will stand together against Metallia."

Beryl could not help but tear up at her love's words. For so long she had dreamed of this moment. Now that it was here she wanted it to last forever. But, if it was her destiny to be parted from him in the coming battle, then at least she had this moment. "Okay. You can stay. But you have to give me something in return."

"Oh?"

Wordlessly, the crimson-haired monarch repositioned herself so she was straddling her lover. Despite the soarness of their previous activities, the feeling of Endymion's manhood growing within her made her all the more ready to pick up where they left off.

ooooooooo

Meanwhile, at a pay phone somewhere in the Tokyo ward of Juban, Father Alexander Anderson was placing a phone call. He had come to a decision concerning his future. In a way, it was the easiest choice he had to make. Usagi was God's voice on Earth, to follow the papacy in lieu of her would be a violation of his word to his Lord. But he had made other vows as well. He had pledged his life and his soul to Iscariot's service, and with this call he would be severing those ties permanently. It had to be done though, there was battle on the horizon. The likes of which had not been seen on this Earth since the says when God and Satan waged war on one another openly. It was his destiny, and his duty, to add his blades to the forces of light. He did not know whether or not it was his fate to see the end of the coming struggle though.

Picking up the receiver, he began entering a long series of numbers. When he had finally finished with them all, he was forced to wait an interminable period as his call was routed through a million and one phones within the Vatican. Finally though, the line on the other side opened. "Hello?"

"This is Anderson."

"Report."

"The Vampire remains. She is ae decedent of God."

"Impossible," roared the man on the other side. "Your words are heresy."

"Dat may be, but it is true. She will lead us into ae new revelation."

"It seems that this bitch from Hell has corrupted you. Shame. I will tell your replacement to make sure you receive a quick death and a Christian funeral." With that, the line died.

As he replaced the receiver, Anderson sighed. To be honest, he had hoped his superiors would have lent his experience and years of service more weight than that. He had no desire to spill the blood of his brothers and sisters in Christ. But if that be God's will then he, as a Paladin, will fulfill it to the best of his abilities. Before the end, blood will stain the rivers red and many a soldier of Christ will meet their maker.

"At least Alucard will have his fun," he mused as he walked down the street.

ooooooooo

Author's notes: Well that is it. A new chapter done, and it only took what, 2, 3 years? Damnit. Guys, I am sorry that it took so long. Believe it or not, I had never intended it to take so long but shit happened. You all probably think this is bullshit, but since my last chapter I lost my PalmPilot. Now to you, that means that I lost the primary place where I write this fic. I must have really gotten used to writing on it, because I had the damdest time trying to write this anywhere else. My book, no problem, I can write the damn thing on stone while on the moon. This story, I type 3 words and my mind caves in. Screwiest damn thing I have ever seen. The good news for all you is that, just recently, I got a brand new pda and just like Lazarus, my muse came back. Now, while this means I will be writing faster, just to be on the safe side I wouldn't expect anything new for at least 2 more years. That way, should it take that long, you all won't be disappointed. I will say this though, I sincerely hope that it won't take that bloody long, but plan for the worst and what not. I would like to thank all of you who have reviewed and added me over the years, it really means a lot to me, and it is to all of you that I dedicate this work. Without you all I wouldn't have the will to stay in the fanfic game and would just surrender to the professional literary world. Keep up the faith and have a gloriously Happy Holidays.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	8. The Oncoming Storm

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 7 - The Oncoming Storm

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After the second meeting at the shrine, relations between the Sailor Senshi and the two new fighters, Terra and Earth, greatly improved. With the knowledge that only the couple could truly harm these new Youma, both groups began coordinating their strikes around having either one at a given battle. Sometimes more than one creature would attack the city. More often than not, when a strike team reached one of the multiple attack sites, they would find either Anderson or Alucard engaged in combat with the beast.

Whenever they stumbled across one of the vampire's battles everyone, no matter how battle-hardened, felt ill. Since the Youma had a highly advanced regenerative capacity, the No-Life King took unholy pleasure at ripping them limb from limb only to watch it renew so he could torture it further.

Anderson's battles though, they were always a treat for those who witnessed them. The man was a flurry of razor-sharp knives and paper. As always, Ami recorded the battles for future study. Though she knew everything about the Paladin's weapons when they where actually in use, it was their storage that confounded her so. Somehow, he managed to pull a seemingly endless supply of the blessed blades and holy pages from, what appeared to be, nowhere. Even the Senshi, who held items in, for lack of a better term, the magical equivalent of an ACME black hole, had a detectable signature. As far as her sensors were concerned the Father's weapons came into existence from absolutely nothing.

Though the stream of Youma was fairly constant, each attack transpired at a predictable cadence. Initial theories had attributed the predictability of the attacks to some quirk of the creature's construction. It was Usagi who suggested that it was a sign from Beryl indicating that, though the attacks would not stop, the dark queen would make sure the Senshi had a hope of blunting their effects. The others, having not a single contrary theory, rapidly accepted Usagi's supposition as the the only plausible one.

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As one particularly difficult Youma was reduced to its component atoms via a Terra-induced stream of lava, the female Earth guardian growled in frustration. "How many of these things are we going to have to kill before we do something?!"

With her usual cool precision, Ami answered as she typed away on the Mercury Computer. "At the current rate, I estimate it will take five more attacks before I have a complete model of the energy patterns."

Landing beside her blue-haired comrade, Makoto asked, "What are you talking about Mercury?"

"I'll explain at the shrine. Can you tell the others to meet us there?"

"Sure," replied Jupiter as she followed her friend across the roofs of Juban. By the time the trio reached the shrine, Makoto had made contact with everyone. Some, like Haruka, were reluctant to leave what they were doing. A few choice words from the brown-haired woman though, and the layabouts were convinced.

A short while later, the Senshi and their allies were assembled at their unofficially official base, the Cherry Hill shrine. "Okay Ami, we're here," started Usagi with a smile. "What's up?"

The sound of keys clacking was Ami's initial response, as the Senshi of Mercury was in the midst of an exceedingly complex equation. A minute later though, she looked up into the inquiring faces of her compatriots. "Oh! I'm sorry. I was working on an energy balance equation," she said sheepishly. "But as to the reason I called for you all, I have made some discoveries concerning these new Youma."

"Do tell," replied Naru as she leaned against Umino leisurely.

"Well, as you may or may not know, several weeks ago I was filling Luna in on our current situation when she made a suggestion regarding altering our powers to match those wielded by Umino and Naru."

Immediately, all eyes turned to said Mooncat. Under the sudden gaze of the others, Luna could not help but blush. "Well I just wished that we could alter your powers to give us more options," she said meekly.

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After Mamoru essentially defected to Beryl's side, Luna had gone to Usagi. With tears of shame rolling down her tiny cheeks, the cat detailed all her sins to her ruler. She started in the distant past with her shameful actions in regards to Endymion. Then her tale came forward into more present day situations; such as her constant nagging and then her leaving of Usagi when the girl's current plight was revealed. Having outlined the entire cavalcade of her malfeasances, Luna offered herself up to her Princess' judgment. Though she knew Usagi would never kill her, Luna had expected to be stripped of her position and exiled at the very least. And if Usagi was really infuriated then maybe even her personality would be denied her. She never, not in her wildest dreams dreams, did Luna anticipate the young woman to pick her up and hug her tightly. That embrace had made the Mooncat feel more loved and welcome than she had in many a year.

After that incident, Luna did everything in her power to ingratiate herself in the eyes of the others. This included holding her tongue when they said or did things contrary to her sensibilities. But the biggest act of contrition was the one she performed for Artemis; she gave him his due. For so long she had denigrated him for his laziness. Once she really took stock of the white-haired tomcat, Luna had been forced to admit that he had his fair share of exceptional qualities. After all, he was the one who had guided her own actions for months as the enigmatic Control. And, with this new appreciation came a reluctant admittance of her own attraction to him. Of course, Artemis had nary a clue of that. The perpetual smirk that adorned Setsuna's face whenever the Guardian of Time looked at her led, Luna to believe that Pluto was aware of said feelings.

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"Still," replied Ami. "That comment got me thinking. Why was it that only Umino, Naru, and Mamoru can do any lasting damage to the Youmas?"

"We use the power of Earth," answered Umino. "For some reason they don't like that."

"Yes. But what bothered me was the reason for that particularity of their makeup. When we faced Beryl before, the Youma did not posses such immunities to Senshi Magic and Weapons. So, Artemis and I began to think about the differences between the old and new Youma. The most obvious is that these more recent models absorb energy via blood."

"Aye," nodded Anderson. "Like ah Vampire the lot o' them."

"Exactly," replied Artemis. "After some study into Usagi, Alucard, and Seras' vampiric powers, we discovered that they all work within a certain energy spectrum."

"The Youma exist within the same region of magical frequencies," continued Ami. "The astonishing thing is that our magic is, point for point, at the exact opposite end of the spectrum. The result is that the Youma are effectively immune to our power as the magic forces cancel each other out."

"Were are we on this continuum," asked Umino.

"Much, much, closer to where the Vampires and Youma are." To forestall any negative thoughts in regards to Umino and Naru, Ami made sure to quickly clarify that statement. "That's not to say that the power of Earth is evil. But if we were to look at the line between good and evil, Earth would be dead center."

"And since its there," muttered Umino as Ami's analogy worked through his mind. "Earth energy can directly interfere with the Youma's energy matrix."

"That, and the big rocks we throw at them," quipped Naru wryly.

"That's true," chuckled Ami. "But the net result is that we know why. Once Artemis and I figured that out, we decided to see if we could retune our spells to work in a similar spectrum."

"Can we," asked Usagi. All this science jargon war starting to give her a headache.

"Its been harder to crack the coding on some of us than on others."

"Why," asked Rei.

"Well as Naru pointed out, they use their powers to manipulate actual elemental forces. Minako, Hotaru, Haruka, Setsuna, and Usagi all use tuned magical energies. The rest of us use our magic in a way that is similar to Terra and Earth. For us, the magical adjustment should be fairly simple; as we use elemental magic. The others though, are proving to be much more difficult."

Immediately Artemis explained for those with looks of utter befuddlement. "Since Terra and Earth use elemental magic, we have an example to follow when we change your powers. We don't have something like that for the others, so its been slower going."

"But what about our weapons," asked the soft voice of Hotaru. All eyes turned to the young woman. "I mean I have seen the Silence Glaive carve up pretty much everything, yet I have to put everything into it in order to make the smallest of cuts. Don't I use the Silence?"

"Good question," replied Ami. "As you know, one of the Serenitys used her power to chain up the being called Silence within the planet of Saturn. And when they made you, Hotaru, it was a further level of containment while also allowing the destructive energy of the Silence to be used constructively by the Moon Kingdom."

"There's nothin' about nuking planets I'd call constructive Ami," drawled Haruka sarcastically.

Ami had to laugh at that. "You're right, it does seem insane in retrospect."

"But remember," continued Artemis, "Hotaru is the Senshi of Death **and** Rebirth. Death is brought solely by the Silence. Rebirth is a product of the planet Saturn. It is Saturn's energy, harnessed by Moon Kingdom mages, that allows her to heal and erect the Silence Wall. Saturn's power is also woven intimately throughout the Glaive."

"You see," added Ami, "the Silence is a powerful thing, but at the same time they worried that too much use may let the creature break free. So, it is only used for her really dangerous attacks."

"The ones I wouldn't use until there was no other way," finished Hotaru with dead seriousness.

"Right. So until you actually launch one of those spells, the Glaive is only filled with Saturn's power. And thus Senshi Magic."

"So thats why I couldn't kill the damn thing," grumbled Haruka angrily.

"How long till you figure it out," asked Usagi wearily.

"That is the good news. We are almost there. Artemis and I only need two, maybe three, more attacks to get all the information we need to make the conversions."

"Why don't you just change us now," asked Makoto with something of an expectant grin. These new Youma were seriously hampering her innate desire to clobber things.

Artemis shook his head. "No can do. When we unlock one of you it will hit you all."

"So you have to change them all at the same time," surmised Umino.

"Exactly," replied the moon cat with a smile. "Otherwise we would have to keep on changing their programing. And quite frankly, no one has done it once. To say nothing of multiple times."

"Will it hurt us," asked Hotaru softly.

The cat shook his head. "While no one may have done it, there was some initial research into the possibility. According to the files in the Mercury Computer, it shouldn't feel bad at all."

"So all we have to do is wait out a few more battles," asked Minako authoritatively. Since her temporary split with the Senshi, Venus had reverted to her more militaristic persona. Sure, when the topic of boys came up she was still just as flighty, but when it was business time she became a consummate professional.

"Unfortunately, yes." Ami's tone was one of regret. Despite her desire to delve into the secrets of the Senshi, Mercury realized that time meant more civilians hurt in the crossfire.

"Okay. Until then, we keep up the patrols as we have been," ordered Usagi. "Alucard?"

From the dark corner of the room, a legion of lidless eyes opened up. "Yes?"

"I thought you were listening in," said Usagi with a smirk. "Can you tell Integra about the time table?"

"I suppose I could," muttered the shadows as the eyes closed once more.

"Ah don't know why ye put up wi' him," complained Anderson. "Why can't Ah just be rid o' him?" Thanks to Usagi, he and the No-Life King may be working together, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Among the Senshi, there was a chorus of agreement. Not a single one held a shred of love for the man-shaped monster. And though his prowess in battle could not be taken lightly, their senses cried out for his destruction.

Usagi emphatically shook her head. "No. No one here will be killing Alucard. I've looked into his heart and I've seen a spark of goodness there."

The ex-Iscariot agent snorted in disbelief.

"I know," laughed Usagi. Looking to her friends, her eyes silently pleaded with them. "I can feel it too. Probably more than the rest of you, his evil grates on my nerves like an acid. But, something tells me that he wants to change."

The Senshi all shared a look. They had heard this sort of thing from their leader before. And though Usagi's unwaivering optimism, even in the face of evidence to the contrary, was somewhat annoying, it had saved them more times than they could count. "Okay, Usagi. If you say he's going to change, that's good enough for us," announced Rei confidently.

Looking her friends in the eye, Usagi took strength in their smiles and nods of encouragement. When she got to Minako, that jubilant feeling staled momentarily. She knew that Venus had the most experience with the living dead, and while the girl showed outward support, Usagi needed to know that she had Minako fully in her corner. "Are you you okay with this Minako. I mean really?"'

The blond-haired Senshi of love sighed. "Usagi, I'm not going to lie to you. I will never trust him. You can't give an old dog new treats. But, I trust you with my life. So, I'll work with him, just don't get angry when I watch for betrayal."

It wasn't the stirring answer she had hoped for, but it was enough for Usagi. "Okay. I can live with that."

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Within the dark confines of Hellsing's Japan headquarters, Seras Victoria was enjoying the dubious pleasure of restlessness. For the last hour she had tried desperately to get to sleep. Her efforts were for naught. With sleep being more elusive than a straight answer from her master, the young Vampire decided to get some shooting practice in. Firring her Harkonnen usually was enough to calm her blood. And it was blood, her water of life, that was boiling in Seras' veins. "_Something__ big is coming._"

"How right you are Police Girl," purred the voice of her master.

"Master?"

"Come to her office. We have much to discuss."

"Yes sir!" With glee filled bounce, Seras turned her course away from the shooting range and towards the lair of her master's master.

Within the aforementioned lair, Integra looked less like the head of an ancient order and more like a bureaucrat. "I hate bureaucrats," she muttered around her cigar.

"Yet you play the part so well."

Looking up from the seemingly endless mound of papers, she suppressed a smile. Though she may not like the owner of that voice, Integra welcomed any distraction from her work. "Not by choice dammit. Its the bloody Cataclysm Division."

Out of nothingness a gleaming white Cheshire's grin materialized. "The idol squad? Is keeping the populace complacent too challenging for them?" It was clear that Alucard felt that the "elite" police of Tokyo was nothing more than a joke.

"No. Since we are a paranormal operation we fall under their umbrella. And it seems that they have a form for everything."

Suddenly, a knock sounded through the room. "And that would be Police Girl," quipped Alucard sarcastically.

On queue, Seras poked her head into the office. "Am I supposed to be here?"

"Come on in Police Girl."

Integra cast a glare towards her vassal. "What is she doing here?"

"I told her to be here for our little meeting."

"Then what is so bloody important?"

"It appears as if the pieces are beginning to fall into place."

The blond-haired leader of Hellsing sighed, "Alucard, I am not in the mood for double talk and cryptic nonsense."

Alucard shrugged with disappointment. "And yet it looks so good on you. Oh very well. As you know, my master, I have been listening in on the meetings of the Senshi."

"Yes yes, what have you learned?"

"It appears that we were correct in our assumptions. They have been unable to adequately deal with the threat due to certain issues with the energy they use. Their scientist is working on the problem and should have a solution after a few more attacks."

"Good. Do we have an idea as to their plans?"

The No Life King couldn't help but chuckle at the plans of others. "The general consensus seems to be that they will go in and blast everything in their path."

Integra raised an eyebrow at the strategy. "An interesting approach. Though it lacks a certain finesse. How many of our forces do you suggest we commit to the operation?"

"Police Girl and myself should be enough."

"Are you sure Master," asked Seras wearily. Though she was itching for a fight, going up against a whole dimension didn't seem like an activity conducive to maintaining her unlife.

"I have heard the song of your blood. Bring your toy if you wish, but you will be ready."

Seras was giddy. It was so rare for her master to hand out compliments, at least in her direction. That he chose now to do so must mean that he truly meant it. "Thank you Master! I'll go make sure everything is ready."

Watching the draculina run from her office, Integra couldn't help but chuckle. "How much of that tripe was true?"

"Every word," replied Alucard as he stared at the spot Seras had occupied. "I sense that she is on the cusp of becoming."

"Even if she does gain her full power, how much use will she be?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. But," he added with a toothy grin, "its sure to be truly magnificent."

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In a darkened room far removed from the machinations in Tokyo, a cabal began to gather. Suddenly a shaft of light streamed down from above a console, illuminating the previously obscured individuals.

"Are you sure this room is secure," asked Mamoru, his body once again clad in the gleaming armor of the Earth Prince.

"Yes my lord," replied Kunzite. "This room is protected by the best wards known to magic kind. Only God could possibly hope to spy on us."

"Excellent." The primary leader of the cabal finally spoke. Walking into the light, Beryl looked to one of her generals. "Nephrite. What is the status of the evacuation?"

The brown haired general stepped up and began imputing information into the console. Above its surface a hologram of the castle crystallized. "According to Jaedite's plan, I have ordered the guards to evacuate the civilians within a twenty mile distance from the castle. Unless Saturn performs any attacks, the populace should be safe."

"Good. Jaedite. How is the Youma solution coming along?"

"Most stunningly, if I do say so myself."

"What're you planning," asked Mamoru with a suspicious smile. Over the last couple of weeks he had come to know the general pretty well. While Jaedite may be a crafty creator of plans, the man also had a warped sense of humor. Some of the tricks he had preformed against others bordered on the inhuman. The evil grin the man currently sported told Mamoru that whatever he had cooked up, it was down right mean.

"Well, under the guise of an invasion to Earth, I have the Youma creating a portal for the entire force. Unfortunately, it seems I gave them the wrong coordinates for gateway."

"Where are you sending them," Zoecite asked in anticipation.

"Approximately fifty feet above and active volcano."

"Splendid," exclaimed Beryl with a smile. "What do you plan to do about the Youma who realize the betrayal?"

"That would be Zoe's department."

Zoecite cast a baleful glare in Jaedite's direction. "You know how much I hate that name." Though his fellow general had called him by that in the old days, the moniker was especially annoying in the light of the unfortunate gender difficulty he was faced with.

"But it suits you so well," laughed Jaedite.

Attempting to ignore the laughter of his cohort, Zoecite turned to address Beryl. "As captain of the guard, I have had our forces training night and day. Still, they are very green. The hope is that the Youma will not realize that anything is amiss. Should they, I have positioned the guards to maximize their effectiveness."

"Good. It appears we are as ready as we possibly can be." The prospect of freedom for her and her people made Beryl almost giddy.

"When can we expect the Senshi to attack," asked Mamoru.

Jaedite's laughter came to a screeching halt. "The question is problematic my lord. As you know, due to the nature of the new Youma, they are practically immune to Senshi magic."

"Yes, only the Earth magic wielded by myself and those two new fighters seems to harm them."

"Since we made the Youma, we know why the immunity exists. The question becomes, do the Senshi know. It is conceivable that Mercury has already figured out the cause and is working on a counter."

Mamoru couldn't help but smile at the thought of his former comrade. "Yes, it is."

"Unfortunately, we can not be sure of their progress in this field."

"We need someone to go and coordinate with them," stated Kunzite succinctly.

Zoecite stepped forward, his face a mask of determination. "I'll go."

"Are you sure Zoecite," asked Beryl with concern. Of all the generals, it was Zoecite she felt the most responsible for.

"Sure. I mean it makes the most sense. As the one who coordinated the guards I am the perfect person to make sure they and the Senshi will be able to work together."

"It does make sense," offered Kunzite with approval. "But what of your condition?"

The afflicted general simply shrugged. "Its not like I'm ever going to be cured. So its either go out and live, or stay in here and hide."

"If it is your wish, then I approve of your plan," nodded Kunzite.

Zoecite returned his former friend's nod and smiled at the assembled group. "Great! Now, how do we get me there without pissing off Metallia?" A dark chuckle from Jaedite made a deep pit form in his stomach.

"Heh heh. Oh I think we can come up with something."

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Alexander Anderson was a man of contradictions. A man of the cloth, he was kind to his fellow human beings, yet he harbored a deep disdain for non Catholics. Gentle and loving to the world around him, the Father could become a bloodthirsty killing machine should the need arise. Currently, this man of many faces sat at the edge of a pond in one of Tokyo's many parks.

The sun was warm today, and its rays warmed his heart. He could feel the gentle pulse of life beating silently all around him. As couples conversed softly and children played games of their own design, Alexander simply took it all in as an affirmation of God's love for his children; no matter how far from the flock they may have strayed. But, as he followed a father and his son flying a kite through an open field, the ex-Iscariot agent felt a dark and terrible presence encroach upon this tranquil display. "What are ye doin' 'ere vampire?"

"Can I not partake of this weather," asked Alucard mockingly.

"Ye shouldn't be out 'ere at all, beast."

"Now now Anderson, is that any way to treat an ally?" With a preternatural grace, the Vampire lord sat down next to his former foe.

"Ye, and Ah know what will happen when this is all done." Though they fought together under Usagi's banner, there was nothing more he wanted than to shove a knife into the fiend's dessicated black heart.

"Really Father," laughed Alucard. "Do you think Usagi would approve our fighting ever?"

"Nae. A good lass she is. But she doesn't understand beasts such as yerself."

"Yes, yes, I am sure we could go on this way all day. But my master has some information she would like you to provide."

"Go on." Though he would never admit it, Anderson was intrigued at the possibility that the Hellsing wench needed his help.

"When will the dogs at Iscariot attack?"

"Ah have been asking myself the same thing. Ah resigned a long while ago, Ah would have thought assassination teams would have been sent ta terminate me."

"Perhaps they fear the Vampire who quelled the mighty Father Anderson."

"Now listen here ya monster! Iscariot does not run from evil. We face it head on."

"Ah but you are no longer an agent, remember," laughed Alucard.

Alexander nodded proudly, "Aye. But Ah will always remain true to its ideal."

"Even if it contradicts Usagi's wishes," taunted the Vampire.

As he opened his mouth to issue a rebuttal, a bullet slammed into Anderson's forehead. Throughout the park, people screamed in horror and desperately ran away from the supposedly dead body. For his part, Alucard simply withdrew his Casull and lazily began pulling off shots in the direction where the assassin was located. "Well," he said between shots, "it seems as if Iscariot sent agents after all."

Rising up like some sort of zombie, the paladin grinned wickedly. "Aye. It looks that way." In the center of his forehead the dull gleam of a bullet slowly came into the light. Behind it, flesh and bone mended together in an accelerated recreation of God's design.

Suddenly, a flash of silver caught the bright sun as a gleaming katana cut through the air and bit into Anderson's shoulder. A normal man might have cried out as the blade rended his flesh. Alexander though, was a different beast entirely. Having been delimbed in the past, he accepted the nerve impulses as if they were any other. With a manic smile, he stared down the length of the blade at the nun who impaled him. "Ye took yer time," he quipped.

The young woman growled and pulled her blade free. "You fate was sealed the moment you left God's light. Alexander Anderson, for crimes against the Holy Sea, your sentence is death."

"I believe he already knew that," offered Alucard between shots. Though the humans ran in a blind panic, the No-Life King was only slightly amused. As far as battles went, the two Iscariot agents were quite boring. Ribbing Anderson though, that was a most gratifying pursuit. "How long should I allow her to live," he asked idly.

Anderson deflected the katana with one of his own diamond sharp blades. "Nae! These girls are following orders."

Alucard laughed darkly. "Ah yes. I just love getting shot at." As if his opponent had heard him, several more blessed, silver, bullets impacted his frame. The damage was easily ignored, the No-Life King's body repaired the damage as it was being caused. As for the blessings, those too did not faze the unholy juggernaut; the blood of Usagi had remedied that particular weakness.

The paladin gave little thought to the beast's quips. The entirety of his concentration was occupied instead by the crazed nun. "Yumie girl! Cease this foolishness at once!"

"Only when you DIE," she roared.

"Ah hafn't turned from the side of God," countered Alexander as he danced around precise strikes. "I only tread a different path."

"LIAR! BLASPHEMY! There is but one path of God!"

There are few people on the planet capable of repelling the crazed woman's assault. In prior engagements she had ruthlessly slaughtered any and all who her heavenly superior had deemed a threat to God's work on Earth. Father Alexander Anderson was not a regular man though. The science of man and the grace of God had been married in his flesh so that he could vanquish creatures far more powerful, and terrible, than any normal human. With unparalleled grace and speed he wove his way through Yumie's strikes. One deft maneuver allowed Anderson to get in behind the berserker and restrain her. Though she writhed in his arms and clawed at his flesh, the paladin forced the woman's gaze onto Alucard. "Look! Damn ye, look! Use the eyes God and Iscariot gave ye!"

For a few moments more, the young woman raged. Eventually, her eye caught sight of something in the dread creature that froze her thrashing heart. Gone from her eyes were the outrage and mania. In their wide place was the personality known as Yumiko. She stared at Alucard with horrified wonderment. "It can't be," she gasped.

"There are more things in heaven and Earth, than dreamed of in your philosophy," quipped Alucard.

Anderson ignored the fiend. "Ye see, that is why Ah left Iscriot. Ah met the source and my duty to God and my duty to the group had to diverge."

"T,the source? God?"

"Nae, but a child of our Lord. As surely as Jesus is o' the father, so to is she."

Tears of joy began pouring from Yumiko's eyes. "M,may I p,please meet her?

"My lady is a sensitive soul, she will not appreciate attempts on her life. Nor the lives of her associates."

Yumiko gasped. "Of course! I will let no harm come to her. I swear upon the father."

The paladin loosened his grip, but did not fully let the woman go. He was rather certain that Yumiko wouldn't try anything, but Yumie was another story entirely. "Good, now please, call off Heinkel. Ah'm not sure how much longer Alucard will refrain from killing her."

Quickly, the nun nodded. She had heard all too well about the fiend's lack of patience. The last thing she wanted was her gun-toting friend to face the ivory fangs of that demon. With some force, Yumiko worked her arms free of Anderson's hold. Nearly quicker than the eye could follow, the young woman went through a series of hand gestures. Just to be sure, she repeated them three more times, lest Heinkel missed the first signing.

One more gunshot rang out through the park before an oppressive silence blanketed the area. For several minutes the two humans and one vampire stood quietly. They awaited the arrival of the assassin who had unloaded many a round into both men. Eventfully, their assailant came into view. While Yumilo was an unassuming nun, Heinkel appeared as a priest. Her long blond hair and dark glasses belonged to no order that most Catholics knew of. Neither did the guns that sat ready in her hands.

Eying both man wearily, Heinkel spoke, "You okay Yumiko?"

"I'm fine, but we must stop attacking them," answered th nun desperately.

"Yeah, I got that. The question is vy."

Alucard smiled evilly at the woman's bravado. "Oh we have so many things to tell you."

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While a park was plunged into terror by gunfire, an alley in another part of Tokyo was experiencing its own oddity. In the center of the dim, dank, place a point of rippling space burst into being. With a violent tearing sound the point exploded outwards to form a dark, swirling, maw. From the maw issued forth a terrible kreening reminiscent of a legion of cats in a blender. Amid the cacophony of wails, one could barely make out a different, more feminine, wail.

Slowly, that sound gained in intensity until a shape was launched from the center of the vortex. The gray mass flew across the alley and hit the wall with a meaty thwack. On closer examination, it was a singed woman wearing a still-smoking gray uniform. After a few moments of motionless, she groaned painfully. "Dammit. Note to self, kill Jeadite."

She made a half-hearted attempt to push herself up before groaning and giving up. "If the Senshi want you Zoecite, they can come and get you," she moaned as a particularly deep breath pulled some bruised muscles. Having decided on a course of action, Zoecite slipped into unconsciousness' sweet embrace.

The man turned woman did not have to wait long. A Senshi team landed in the alley less than five minutes after Zoecite's arrival. On the team was Mars, Mercury, and Uranus. Other assets were further away, but in route.

Uranus surveyed the area wearily. The corners of the alley were rather dark, perfect places to hide for an ambush There were no signs of the portal though, so the Youma could be gone by now. "See anything Mercury?" While the younger woman was nowhere near the warrior the Outer Senshi was, Uranus had grown to respect her calm in combat.

Said young woman stood behind the fighter, her visor out and scanning the alley. No crevice was obscured from her vision. The device detected the remaining fissures in reality, but those were rapidly fading into the background. Fortunately, there were no residual signs of Youma activity. Though she was grateful to not have to deal with those bloodthirsty creatures, it was also puzzling; as were some of what she was seeing. "This makes no sense."

A spike of worry lanced Uranus' heart. As a rule, it wasn't good to have Ami confused, at least not in battle conditions. "What doesn't?"

Mercury continued her scan, her fingers running over the controls of her computer like quicksilver. "The portal wasn't like the ones the Youmas have been using. It was almost like the ones the Negaverse used to use back in the old days."

"Well there was that note from Beryl and the generals asking for our help. Could that be it?"

The Senshi scientist was about to discount her comrade's suggestion when her visor detected a familiar signature in one of the dark recesses of the alley. In an instant, the device relayed the full extent of Zoecite's injuries to her. "Oh god," she exclaimed. As she rushed to towards her former foe, Mercury looked back at Uranus, "Quick, get Saturn and Moon, we need their healing!"

Broken bones, bruised organs, torn muscles, there was not a place on Zoecite's body that was undamaged in some way. Plus there was an apparent gender change that baffled her sensors. What was even more troubling was the concussion that her visor picked up. Mercury knew from her mother, and from texts, that such trauma could lead to permanent damage if not properly dealt with. Kneeling next to the fallen General, Ami gently turned the woman over and tilted her head up. "Uh Zoecite . . . you need to wake up."

Within the swirling kaleidescope of colors and sounds, Zoecite desperately tried to right himself. He felt as if he were in the middle of a great maelstrom and at any moment he would be pulled down into its depths. Just as he was about to surrender to the void, the blond man heard a voice call out to him. It was one that he had not heard in a long time, but, just as it had all those years ago, it roused a need in him. Straining from the effort, Zoecite fought his way out of the storm and into the world of consciousness. Slowly, the mass of lights coalesced into a pattern that was somewhat recognizable. Focus came only after, and even that was poor, but he was able to make out a face, one that linked to the voice in a way that made the man's heart stop, "Delphina?"

Like a bolt of lightning, Zoecite's muttered speech, caused shock to travel through Mercury's body. Suddenly, she was bombarded with a multitude of images detailing a life long since passed. Ami saw the older man enter her life, his presence warming a heart that had turned cold under the weight of loneliness. The pair danced the night away at one ball after another. Summer days were passed away on the plains of Atlantis. Those morphed into winter nights on Mercury ice skating. All of these and more flowed through her heart and soul like a raging torrent. Distantly, she felt her body fall backwards, but it was quickly lost in among the river.

Uranus was in a position that she did not like at all. On one hand, her ingrained warrior instincts were calling for her to blast Zoecite with World Shakings until there was nothing left of the general but a greasy smear on the ground. The other hand though, was telling her to leave the beaten former foe alone and deal with Ami, who was now slumped in Mars' arms. Finally, she decided that combination of the two could be done. So, not too kindly, Haruka nudged Zoecite's form with her boot before hurrying over to her team mates. "How is she?"

Mars looked up from the stiff form of her friend worriedly, "I don't know. She just knelt by him and then she jumped like she was hit by one of Jupiter's attacks."

"You can't feel anything," asked the blond awkwardly. Though Rei's heightened senses had come in handy on more than one occasion, they still unnerved Uranus.

The younger woman shook her head. "No, what ever happened, it didn't leave any dark traces behind."

Not a minute later, Sailor Moon came rushing out of the dark recesses of the alley way. As her blond hair bounced with every step, her beautiful face was frozen in a worried stare. Her pace increased when she saw one of her oldest friends laying stiffly in Rei's arms. Rushing to their side, she said, "Is she all right?"

"We don't know."'

"Kinda hoping you could tell us your worshipfulness," added Uranus weakly.

Despite the situation, Usagi couldn't help but chuckle at her subordinate's words. "I'll give it a shot." Above Ami's still form, the Silver Crystal appeared in a nimbus of white light. Slowly, radiant motes floated down from the crystal to land on the fallen Senshi.

As her friend and leader concentrated on Mercury, Rei shifted her concern to the blond. The crystal, while a powerful force for good, was extremely worrisome. It could harm Usagi just as it was helping another. And though Moon had gotten more proficient in its use, Rei would not be her if she didn't worry. To her relief, Usagi was giving no signs of strain.

It did not take Sailor Moon long to determine the reason for her friend's ailment. Withdrawing her mind from the woman's, Usagi looked up at Rei with a smile. "She'll be fine, but I'll let her tell us what happened."

Rei nodded in acceptance, "What about you?"

"I'm fine Mars," replied Usagi with exasperation. They had had that conversation many times over the years and the future wasn't interested in having it again.

As Usagi was being fussed over by mother hen Rei, Hotaru landed in the alley. Over the communicator, things had sounded urgent, yet there was none of the bloodshed she had expected to witness. Sliding up to Uranus, the Senshi of Silence asked, "Where am I needed?"

"Over there," grunted Haruka as she pointed to Zoecite's still form.

Not needing to know anything else, Hotaru rushed over to the general. She didn't need Ami's computer to know that the woman was in bad shape. In moments, Sailor Saturn and Zoecite were surrounded by a golden nimbus as the former attempted to heal the latter. Though she had gained greater amounts of stamina since she had first become a Senshi, the damage was greatly taxing to her improved power. Just as she felt she could go no further, Saturn gasped as a wave of power filled her being. Looking back over her shoulder, Hotaru saw a smiling Usagi who glowed with her own white light.

After several minutes Zoecite's breathing grew steady and strong. All who watched could tell that the general was going to survive her injuries. With a sigh, Hotaru slumped forward. Before she fell all the way Haruka caught her. "I thought you were doing better," muttered the blond worriedly.

Though her face was filled weariness, Hotaru smiled at her 'father.' "I'm okay. She just needed more than normal. Papa . . . I think I'm going to sleep now."

Despite the tinges of worry on her face, Haruka looked at the three unconscious people and sighed. "Well great! Now what do we do with them?"

Rei looked at her friends and nodded. "She's right. We can't really carry them all the way back to the shrine."

"I have a way," answered Usagi softly.

For a moment, Rei was ready to inquire into her friend's announcement, but once she took a look at Usagi's face the fiery Senshi knew. The blond was going to use her Vampire powers to get them there. "You sure?"

"Honestly, I've never done it. But it can't be much harder than going alone."

"_Famous last words_," thought Haruka wryly. Still, she saw little recourse and nodded. "Okay, your worshipfulness. Need any help."

Usagi smiled at her friend's levity. "Just bring Ami over here. Its dark enough that I should be able to do it."

Stifling her objections, Mars retrieved the catatonic Ami and moved her over to Usagi. "There. Need anything else?"

"Nope. Just start heading back to the shrine. Okay?" The two soldiers nodded and jumped away. As she watched them leave, Usagi sighed. "Come on, -sagi. This is just like always. Nothing to be worried about." Her words didn't exactly cheer the woman up, but she schooled her features and summoned her power and sank into the shadows.

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Neptune cursed as she dodged a vicious swipe from the latest Youma. "_That was a close one_." She had actually felt the claw scythe through bit of her fuku. Luckily, it had been so sharp that it sliced cleanly through the armor without slowing her forward momentum. Rolling forward, the aqua-tressed woman launched a quick blast of water at the ground under the creature.

Since their powers had proven practically useless against these new Youma, the Senshi were forced to get creative. Where once they would have unloaded enough magic to vaporize a few city blocks, if properly applied, now they were forced to fight smart. Her most recent strike against the ground was part of this new mindset. Several Deep Submerges had transformed the ground under Youma into a deep, muddy, quagmire. It wasn't enough to totally defeat the creature, but it slowed the beast considerably. Now all Neptune had to do was avoid the Youma's upper talons while staying close enough that it didn't try and pull free to get at her.

"Where are they," she muttered between dodged swipes. This battle been going on for several minutes now and she was beginning to tire. In her experience, this was the worst time in a battle. As fatigue set in, it became harder to keep one's mind on the fight. Instead of focusing on the job at hand, the strain of muscles, the aching of feet, even the sweat on her brow all became nuisances that grabbed for her attention. Even more pressing though, was the location of her fellow fighters.

When she had first engaged in combat with the beast, Neptune was expecting a quick arrival of reinforcements. Normally, from initial contact to the first signs of help took a minute or so. This time though, it was ten minutes of hard fighting and still no one was showing up. Even factoring the increased stamina given by the Senshi armor, she wouldn't be able to hold up this level of fighting for much longer. The Youma was scything closer and closer with each pass and soon her blood would food for the hell spawn.

Neptune nearly began to sob when she heard a voice cry out, "EARTH GYSER!" Despite her joy at those words, the aqua-haired woman didn't stop moving. With as close as she was to the beast, if she didn't get out of the way quickly she would be just as dead as the monster. So, with a great thrust of her legs, Michiru flung herself clear of the massive, razor-sharp, chunks of rock that erupted beneath the Youma. Unfortunately, she did not get far enough way to avoid the torrent of mud that she had created during her solo attacks.

Sailor Neptune's rescuer looked down at the mud soaked woman with a not small amount of embarrassment. "Sorry about that," said Earth as he offered the woman a hand.

"Don't worry about it," she replied with a tired smile. "You saved me, that's all I care about. Besides, I am rather certain that this will all come off when I transform back."

Earth's reply was cut short by a pain filled roar. It was the Youma. Neither defender knew that, at Metallia's command, Beryl and her scientists had been forced to construct newer, more intelligent Youma. These new creatures learned from the mistakes of their predecessors, albeit rather slowly. This one's slow mental faculties had noticed the cried attack and moved to avoid it. Fortunately, for Earth and Neptune, the creature's reasoning skills were so limited that it failed to fully escape the blast. The unfortunate side to that stroke of luck was that a wounded animal tended to be even more dangerous.

Though grievously wounded, the Youma was still blindingly fast. Like a freight train, it barreled out from the dust cloud of Earth's attack. Neptune began to jump away, but the ground beneath her was loose and, instead of supporting her weight, it slipped away, injuring her ankle in the process. As she fell, Michiru yelped both in pain and shock. That sound alone grounded Umino's flight as he moved to aid his comrade. Knowing that they were both now stuck, the young man and woman looked at the creature, that was scything towards them, with fear.

For a moment, Umino was frozen. All of his previous battles had been either himself or Naru just destroying a Youma with a singular attack. Never had he faced down one of those beasts as they were charging with the force of a large truck. The primal fear such a sight evoked froze every muscle in his body. The closer the thing got, the less willing his arms and legs were to move. "_Is this it_," his fear addled mind thought sadly. Suddenly though, before it became too late for action, a cool, calming, wave washed though his being. It was Naru's thoughts calming his own and in the placid waters of her mind, Umino saw a path to victory.

Moving almost too fast for the eye to follow, Earth raised one of his thickly muscled arms towards the oncoming creature. In the last instant before both he and Neptune were trampled, a dense metal shield materialized out of the bracer he had on his outstretched arm. With a deafening clang, the Youma slammed into the hastily erected barrier. Despite the screaming of both metal and monster, Earth held as firmly as his namesake.

Safely behind the barrier, Earth's eyes narrowed as he marshaled his strength. With a mighty roar, the titan pushed against the shield with all the force he could manage. Both he and Neptune could hear the Youma cry out in shock as it was hurled into the air. Umino knew that his opponent was at a disadvantage, so, with a thought, Crust retracted into its rest position. Even as the shield lowered, the male slammed both arms into the ground. So great was his strength, that a great channel of rock was blown into the air. It sped along, keeping pace with the foul Youma. When the two intersected, a massive explosion of granite and dirt consumed the wounded creature utterly.

Despite the fact that the Youma appeared to be dead, neither Umino nor Michiru celebrated the victory. Not two minutes ago they had believed that it was gone and the blasted thing came back. This time, they were going to save the partying for when they were positive. Slowly, the pair moved towards the blast site, each ready to run like hell should it attack once more. All they found, other than the debris that typified Earth's attacks, was the decomposing remains of a most stubborn opponent.

In a burst of victory adrenalin, Michiru whapped Umino's chiseled arm. "What took you so long?"

Though the blow was barely enough for him to register, Earth rubbed his arm with the same care a greater wound would warrant. "I got here as fast as I could," he grumbled. "Besides, it looked like you had things covered."

"Oh yeah, sure I did. Except for the part where I couldn't hurt the damn thing."

"Heh, heh, ha . . . ha, ha, ha, ha"

Neptune stared at the man as if he had suddenly gone insane. "What?"

"Ha, ha, too much, gasp, ha, ha, time around Haruka," after managing to get that out Umino was rendered useless by his own laughter.

For a few more seconds, Michiru kept up the evil eye as the man's words were being processed. Eventually a snort worked its way free. With its release, a whole torrent of laughter poured fourth from the Senshi of Neptune.

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Zoecite bolted up with a gasp. His heart pounded within his masculine chest as the demons of his sleep retained their potency. Like a caged animal, the blond's head whipped back and forth, desperately searching for the twisted fiends that had tortured him in his sleep. To his immense relief, there were no implements of torture, no dark monsters waiting to tear at his flesh, only the subdued earth tones of a traditional Japanese residence. The only other soul, demonic or otherwise, sat in the far corner of the room.

Having wild, raven, hair that seemed endless, the woman's blue eyes stared at him with electric intensity. She sat in a lotus position, yet the peace of that pose belied the wild energy that seemed to radiate from every pore of her being. Her huge frame positively dominated the tiny space of the room. And she was adorned in a leather suit that was both foreboding and alluring. To Zoecite's eye, she looked like some sort of amazon warrior, more beautiful and terrifying than any who had walked the earth in years.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," she said in a tone that made Zoecite wonder whether or not the nothingness he had seen back in the alley was preferable to his current place in the cosmos.

"Thanks," he said with as much warmth and friendliness as he could muster. "Can I ask your name? Mine is Zoecite."

Instead of answering, the woman stood; her height dwarfing his own. "I'll go get the others." With that, before the blond general could say a word, she was gone.

A minute or two later, a warmer face tentatively peaked around the door's edge. Immediately, Zoecite recognized the blue hair and inquisitive sapphire eyes. He almost called out the name he had lived for, but instead the man just said, "Sailor Mercury?"

The Senshi of Ice smiled, "Hello Zo-zo."

For the first time since he awoke free of the demon that had controlled him, Zoecite felt a ray of hope light his soul. Only one person had ever called him that. It was her personal pet name for him. The sounds of her screaming it in ecstasy had fortified him during his long imprisonment. Ignoring the tears that welled in his eyes, the sometimes female reached out to the woman before him. "Delphina? I,is that really you?"

Ami felt her own eyes watering as she walked towards her one time enemy. "I'm called Ami now. But a part of me does remember being Delphina of Mercury." With happiness in her heart and her soul, she took hold of the man's hand. "And I remember spending a week on the shores of Venus' eastern sea with the man of my dreams."

She was not the only one to recall that wonderful time. Fond memories of that coastal paradise played themselves out against a mental silver screen. "The heart blossoms were in full bloom."

There was no more doubt in her mind, this man before her was her Zo-zo. Not even the demon had acted so tenderly towards her. Without hesitation, Ami flung herself into his arms and a romance, dead for longer than recorded history, was made anew. For the most intellectual of Senshi, the experience was fantastically novel and wondrously familiar. She had long wondered how Usagi could fall so deliriously in love with Mamoru so fast. Now though, she no longer questioned it, instead Ami embraced the swell of emotion with as much fervor as her friend.

After several moments, Zoecite's duty reminded him of why he had come to Earth. Here, in this instant, though he was not one of Endymion's general. There were no helpless souls who desperately depended on the intelligence that he carried. He was just a man whose love for a woman ran soul deep. Duty would come, but it would do so later. For now, the moment was all that mattered.

Both the man and the woman soon found themselves deep in passion's silken embrace. With a forceful tug, Ami pulled her love's uniform open. As she ran her slim hands across his chest, Zoecite groaned, her touch igniting his blood like it had so long ago. Pleasure was quickly accompanied by a different, troubling, sensation. He could feel his body begin its accursed transformation. Even as he was luxuriating under his love's tender ministrations, Zoecite was tormented by his changing flesh. New pleasures vied for the old, and the man feared for his future with his Ami.

Beneath her hands, the sometimes Senshi of Mercury could feel something seriously amiss with her newfound love. Pulling away from him, she could see the changes being wrought across his body. When she had first examined Zoecite in the alley, it was clear that the he was a female. And a few seconds ago, he was most assuredly a male; the rod that had pressed into her thigh was ample proof of his manliness. Though she had held certain ideas of how such a change could take place, what she was seeing and feeling was definitely on the list of possibilities. "Oh my god," she gasped in absolute horror.

Zoecite lowered his head, he didn't want to see it when Ami made the logical choice and left him. "You don't have to stay," he muttered softly. There, he had done it, she had a way out. At least he could spare her the pain of making the decision.

The pain in those words struck Ami with more force than a hundred thousand Youma. It was the sound of someone who had given up completely. Her calling, both as a Senshi and a Doctor, cried out to right the terrible wrong laid down upon Zoecite's soul. With a slim hand, she reached out and gently pushed his chin up so that their eyes met. "I'm not going anywhere."

"B,but I heard you. You were horrified."

"Well of course I was. But it wasn't the change Zo-zo. I'm horrified that someone would do that to you after all you went through growing up." While women may have been the powerhouses among the planets under Serenity, on Earth men were very much the ones in charge. Just as beauty was held in high regard for the women, strength garnered respect from fellow men. Zoecite though, was more effeminate in appearance and was picked on all his life by bigger, burlier, males. When he came of age, his magic potential got him through the door and he proved himself quite capable in a fight. Still, he never fully escaped the stigma of his looks. For someone to turn him into a woman so thoroughly was most distressing.

"The Youma took a lot of pleasure from my transformation."

"You mean you felt it all," asked a shocked Ami.

Zoecite nodded, "On one level, yes. But all I could do is scream in a little cage in the back of my mind."

Ami shuddered as her mind recalled her own private hell. For years, she had lived in the world, but her life had been circumscribed by the edges of books. Life passed around her on its steady beat yet she had felt unmoved by it. She could dimly imagine such contrived boundaries becoming impenetrable walls, sealing her within her own mind. How would it feel to be truly isolated, screaming, begging, for death to take you as you saw your body commit atrocities beyond description? "That's terrible."

"I would rather not talk about it," he muttered.

Ami nodded, a weak smile on her face was an attempt on her part to try and lighten the mood. "You're right." Slowly, she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss upon Zoecite's fuller lips.

For his part, the transformed male was completely shocked. As Ami's lips left his own, all he could say was, "What?"

This time, Ami's smile was most definitely real. "I love you dummy, not your body. And if that means that sometimes I am a lesbian, then I'm okay with that. So, I guess you need to ask yourself, are you?"

A smile as big as the sky split the blond's face wide open. "I think that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

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Integra's personal quarters was as stark as the woman herself. There were no flamboyances, only the real reality of her station. She was a noblewoman by birth and a defender of the faith by upbringing. As a Hellsing, she wielded a mighty sword against the night, an organization dedicated to defeating all that worked against queen and country. Events had lead her far from home, across oceans and continents, to a nation that seemed wholly incapable of facing the forces which assailed it. In the short time she had been in this country, her operatives had done more to further the cause than all of the blasted Cataclysm Division.

In this place, at this moment, none of those greater concerns mattered. She had vowed that the outside world would not intrude upon this place. Her room was her sanctuary. So, clad in a silk nightgown, the woman nursed upon a glass of brandy and immersed herself within the pages of the apocalypse; as viewed by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The humorous take on the end of the world was one of the few things that allowed her own perspective to remain steadfast in its battle against the shadow. The brandy seemed to help too.

Still, no matter how much brandy or how many Good Omens, no part of her world was free from one particular acquaintance. Into the calm quiet of her chambers, erupted a laughter of dark designs. Integra did not need to see the source of the interruption, she knew it all to well. "Alucard! What is the meaning of this? You know my rule regarding this room."

From the shadows, a white toothy grin and a pair of red irised eyes materialized, as if a demonic Cheshire Cat was on the prowl. "But my master," cooed the presence smoothly, "I have a piece of news that even you would enjoy."

Despite her natural curiosity, Integra sipped from her glass and made an effort of continuing her book. This was her realm, and her servant would follow the edicts she had set down.

"So it is games that you wish to play, eh my master? I had thought that you would want to know all about the goings on of Iscariot. But I guess I was wrong." Having been seemingly dismissed, the eyes and teeth faded into the shadows once more.

Integra was a woman who cultivated control like others do for fine wines. When she set her mind upon something, no matter the task, her self discipline allowed no deviations. Integra was still a human being though, and there were certain things that could bypass mental training and attack at the core of a person. For the mistress of Hellsing, the Vatican agency known as Iscariot was one such button.

In the secret war against the darkness, there were multiple players. Each fought following their own agenda. Though it was generally understood whom the bad guys were, sometimes zeal got in the way of common sense. Iscariot, named after the man who reported Christ's location to the authorities, took zeal to a whole different level. In all the times Hellsing and the Vatican's Special Section XIII had engaged one another, the results were less than salutary. Information on that accursed organization was needed as soon as possible, to save lives and maintain order.

"Alucard! Come back here and make your report."

Once again the grin manifested from the shadows. It was joined by the hauntingly beautiful face of Hellsing's chief assassin, the No-Life King, Alucard. "So, it appears that you do wish to hear what I have to say. Interesting." The fiend could tell that his words made his master's blood boil, and that knowledge made him happier than few other things.

"Several hours ago, the Paladin and myself were attacked in a park by two of the Vatican's agents. After a rather uninteresting fight, still, Anderson convinced them to convene with Usagi."

"How did that go?" Since their first meeting in the ice cream shop, the two women had developed something of a friendship. She was still a realist, and Usagi was ever the optimist, yet, somewhere in the middle, the pair had managed to find a balance that allowed for a fair amount of fun to be had.

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Though they were guaranteed safe passage, both Yumiko and Heinkel were worried that they were walking into a trap of epic proportions. Things though, were not as they had first been led to believe. Anderson was not spouting satanic vices as he lapped at the feet of a Protestant whore. Neither was Alucard rending the flesh from their bones, though the looks he gave them told the pair that such a state was subject to his whim.

Even in Japan, where one minded ones own business, the quartet garnered a great deal of stares. Not only were they all giants in comparison to the local populace, each was dressed for a different era. Long coats, a habit, round rimed glasses, all stood out against the backdrop of normality that the Japanese so desperately attempted to maintain. Such was their presence, that all parted before them, no matter how dense the teeming masses became.

"F,father," asked Yumiko timidly. "When shall we arrive?"

Alexander Anderson smiled down at the nun. Though he had given up his position as Iscariot's assassin, he was still a man of the cloth. "Soon enough, sister."

Just as the priest assured them, they found themselves in among the pillars and trappings of a construction site. The place was empty of people, save one, a woman of long blond hair. Her features were obscured by some force that not even the gifts of Iscariot could pierce. The woman's outfit was a flamboyant thing, covered with a multitude of differently colored bows and ribbons. While neither Yumiko nor Heinkel could lock in on her face, she was awash in the presence of God. It was as Father Anderson had said, no devil from the deepest of hells could have faked such luminance. In an instant, both women were upon the ground, kneeling before God's messenger.

The first words that the pair heard were rather unexpected, "Why does everyone do that?"

Yumiko gasped, "To do otherwise would be blasphemy."

Though he too felt the desire to kneel, Alexander stood rigid. The smile on his face softened the hardness of the man's stance. "Our lady is a humble lass. She prefers ta be seen in the same light as us all."

Heinkel raised her head. Looking the radiant being in the general area of the eye, she asked, "Is this true?"

Usagi nodded her head with great speed. "Yes! Please, get up. I don't want anyone worshiping me."

"But it is oh so entertaining," chuckled Alucard.

Anderson growled, "Quiet you." Then, in a sudden shift of temperament, he turned a soft eye towards Usagi. "Ah was hoping that they could help during the final battle."

Now standing, both Yumiko and Heinkel tensed at the mention of fighting. "Vat final battle?"

Tears began to pool in the corners of Yumiko's eyes, "Revelations?"

Alucard rolled his eyes at the dramatics of the Catholics. "No you idiot. Anderson, was speaking of the ones that have been sending the Freaks and Youma."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Heinkel withdrew one of her guns and made a show of examining it. "Vatever. Var is var." Satisfied with her examination, the woman in priestly garb returned her weapon to its sheath. "My lady," she said with a bow, "if you do not mind, Yumiko and I vill report this to our superiors."

The paladin didn't know whether or not he liked that. As he slipped a hand into his robes, he asked, "Why."

Never taking her eyes off the radiant beauty before her, Heinkel answered the assassin's question. "God may be in his heaven, but Iscariot is his hand on Earth. If you seek to make var vit the darkness, then you vill need an army. Ve vill supply it."

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As his tale wound down, Alucard's grew in speed. "Can you see it, my master?" His tone was one of mania, the whole room filled with restless energy. "An army dedicated to God's word, led into battle by a Vampire, against a darkness that thinks itself a god. Can you see the terrible irony and the glorious conflagration that events are shaping around us?"

Integra did indeed see what brought Alucard's blood to a boil. She could see the banners streaming across the landscape, underneath which a vast horde marched through a battlefield made muddy by the blood of a thousand million dead. It was a terrifying site that sparked a certain primal wonder within her. "A new crusade," she gasped.

From every corner of the room, the Vampire's laughter echoed out. Throughout the halls of the Hellsing compound, Alucard's dark merriment gave all those who heard it a fright. Across the island nation not a single soul could not help but feel a measure of dread. Something terrible was coming, and heaven help those who stood in its way.

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Author's notes: Well, after nearly three years of dormancy, another chapter of this fic has found an end. I must appologize for the amount of time it took. Unfortunately, things weren't gelling for me in regards to this story. I've been puttering on it for a while, but my mind wouldn't let me stay on it for long. It was just start jumping up and down and screaming until I went and did something else. Finally, I decided to attack this story from a different angle, I went after the ending. After getting that out of the way, the chapter seemed to flow out more readily. Now, that is not to say that the next chapter will come tomorrow, or even a month from now, but it will be here eventually. On the safe side, expect another three years. That way, if I go short I'm awesome.

A quick note concerning the pronouns floating around Zoecite. As far as I am concerned, he is a male, in mind and soul, if not always in body. So, when he is thinking about himself, the pronouns will be male. When describing his current body, I try to use the correct terms. The confusion in the alley stems from the fact that the Senshi don't know that he is changing back and forth, so from their view point, at that moment he is a woman. I know it can be hard to keep track with, but I try to make it clear when he changes.

The scene with Michiru, Umino, and the Youma was put in there to show that the Senshi can learn to do more than just fire and forget. Further, I wanted Umino to have a set back, so he isn't an I win button.

Other than that, there's not really any more to say. The chapter was rather straight forward in my opinion, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People


	9. She is the One

Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.

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The No Life Queen

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Written by Chaos Lord

Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners.

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Chapter 8 - She is the One

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Former police officer and current vampire Seras Victoria stood before a door in Japan's Hellsing branch. Staring at the heavy metal edifice, she could not suppress the trepidation she felt. In the room beyond, her master held court. Though she had grown accustomed to Alucard's moods, what she intended to do today could send him into a violent rage.

Something was coming though. She could feel it in her blood. It sang with anticipation and begged for an explosion of action. Seras needed to be apart of that action, to tear into her opponents with almost psychotic madness. The only way to achieve that end lay on the other side of the door.

As she raised her hand to knock upon the metal surface, Alucard's voice called out to her. "Come in."

Slowly, Seras opened the door. Immediately, she laid eyes upon her master's great black coffin. Even now, its massive size sought to intimidate her. So as to not allow a piece of furniture to beat her, Seras stood straighter and continued her path. As the door fully opened, it revealed Alucard, who sat upon what appeared to be a great throne.

"Ah, Police Girl," said the No Life King with feigned surprise. "What do you seek this evening?"

For but a moment, his question stilled her heart. The song of battle surged once more and Seras found her voice. "There is a battle coming."

"Yes," he purred almost orgasmically.

"I want to be there."

Alucard waived dismissivly. "I don't think your cannon will be of much use."

Seras stood straighter at the slight to her beloved Harkonen. "I want to fight."

"And what do you think you can do

Finally the former police officer's temper broke free of its bonds. "I can rip off their arms. I can savor their horror and swim in their pain. I will make them fear the dark. They will fear me. And I don't care what you say, I WILL FIGHT," she roared and in her eyes the fires of hell burned brightly.

From every shadowy corner of the room a dark laughter could be heard. It started low and quiet, its sound even. Slowly, it grew with increasing volume and madness until the room shook with insanity. Seras stood within this maelstrom and added her voice to her master's. As the world quaked at the sound of their laughter, Alucard rose from his throne.

In an instant, he stood before Seras Victoria. The laughter had stopped and he towered above her. "I have waited long for someone to ask properly. Throughout the centuries I have turned others, indoctrinated them into our dark world. Most have stood before me as you now do. In their eyes, I saw that their intention was to merely lord their power over humans, as if they were somehow above their roots. In you, I see the true needs of our race. You, Seras Victoria, shall walk in the dark places, bringing terror and justice in your wake. You shall be the blind one's hand on Earth. And in the process, you shall see some of the greatest battles ever."

In her minds eye, she could see it. On a hill she stood, Harkonen draped across one shoulder. Down her back, a gossamer cloak of pure darkness wafted upon a breeze. At the hill's bottom lay the bodies of all those who had dared to do harm to the innocent. Their death rattles gathered together into a glorious chorus of despair. It was a sight that stirred her soul. "I want to see that."

Alucard smiled wickedly. From his pale lips sprang a fountain of crimson warmth. Slowly the man and the woman embraced each other. Seras' pink lips joined with his own in a kiss. And in that simple act, the gates of heaven shook, for a new dark queen was born into the world.

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Meanwhile, Usagi slept. But her slumber was not peaceful. Visions of carnage repeated one after another. Legions were laid low by a dark army. Though lead by generals of differing shapes and sizes, the young woman could see the vile being that was the true master of this unholy host. It was an amorphous creature, rolling, boiling, with hate and malice. It needed no features for Usagi to know its dread name, for she too had faced this terror before.

Before she could name it, another did so for her. "Metalia."

Usagi did not need to turn to know who spoke. The voice of Queen Serenity was as easy to recognize as her current mother's. "I had no idea she had caused so much pain."

"What you see now occurred long before Metalia came to our people," the deceased queen stated sadly. "In the pursuit of satiating her dark hunger, she trailed pain and death in her wake for countless millennia."

"And no one could stop her?"

The queen shook her head. "Even in that bygone age, there were few kingdoms with the power to even slow her march. And those with the power were only inclined to secure their domains."

Soon, the imagery shifted and a woman in white took center stage. "Our ancestor, Serenity the Second." The dark mass closed on the woman from all sides. Just as they were about to engulf her, a burst of radiant light surged out to banish the shadow.

Usagi watched with confusion. "She beat Metalia?"

"No. Metalia is too powerful to destroy. Serenity was only able to banish the beast's legions to a dark domain you call the Negaverse. As for Metalia, our ancestor chained her within the Sun. It was her hope that the star's power would be enough to bind the darkness forever."

"But she got out," blurted the younger woman; showing that, in her maturity, she had not completely abandoned her old ways.

"Yes my daughter. Serenity underestimated Metalia's desire for freedom. It took nearly a thousand years for her to break free. And with her escape, she vowed to make her captors pay. By that time, none of our people remembered her terrible legacy, so no one thought to watch for her escape. This left her free to plot her revenge."

"But how did Beryl fit into this? Was she just an innocent?" With the pleas of help and mercy from her former foe, Usagi needed to know more about the woman she would deal with.

The Queen shook her head. "Such things are not always so crystal clear. Had Metalia never answered Beryl's cries of retribution, there is no telling the path she may have taken. All I can say is, in the here and now, she is truly penitent."

As far as she was concerned, that last piece of information was all that Usagi needed. The coming battle would see her fighting clear of purpose. Still, there was one thing she needed to know in order to win the day. "How can we stop Metalia?"

"The only way to stop her is through eternal vigilance. You must seal her away, as I and our ancestor did. Warn those to come of her return. And always be watchful for it." The specter wished she had some better news for her reborn daughter, sadly there was none to give.

Usagi's shoulders slumped. She had really hoped for some greater wisdom from the dead than bottle her up and wait. "Dang."

Serenity smiled. "I know this is not the news you would have hoped to receive, but it is all I have to give. I wish you luck in your trials to come. But for now, you need to wake up."

"Huh," it was such an odd request that Usagi didn't know what to make of it.

"WAKE UP MEATBALL HEAD!" Though it was Queen Serenity's mouth moving, the voice was undoubtedly someone else's.

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With that realization, Usagi's eyes bolted open. There, less than a foot away, she could see the red-faced visage of her friend Rei. Now, over the years, and the shift to quasi-undead, Usagi liked to think that she had gained a greater measure of maturity than she had held when she was just starting as Sailor Moon. Still, old habits die hard, even for defenders of love and justice. With a high-pitched scream, Usagi scooted away from the menacing presence. "REI! Don't do that," she yelled as she tried to recover from her fright.

Rei, who was slowly returning to a more healthy color, smiled at the antics of her friend. "You were the one drooling into your sleeve."

Reflexively, the blond woman wiped away any of the offending liquid. At the same time, she proclaimed, "No I wasn't. And you said you'd stop calling me that."

The other woman had the good decency to look ashamed. "Yeah, well, I had to wake you up somehow. And just yelling at you wasn't helping."

Usagi smiled at her friend's apology, her previous ill feelings were swept aside by the words, "Well thanks. What's up?"

"Naru just came in, apparently Zoecite's up. He . . . she . . . whatever, is talking with Ami right now."

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For everyone, the sequence of events was quite peculiar. The fact of the general's female gender had been quite clear when they found her unconscious in the alley. Then, there had been definite curves that only a woman could pull off effectively. Those had vanished soon after Usagi had transported Ami and Zoecite to the shrine. In fact, when she arrived at her home, Rei found her friend nearly delirious with fright that she had somehow ruined the general's life.

Resolving to put the matter aside for the moment, the Senshi placed the two unconscious souls in separate rooms. Ami woke up soon after, though she remained steadfastly silent as to why she had lost consciousness, only saying that she was fine before finding a corner to read in. While everyone allowed her her peace, they all noted that there was something off about their blue-haired friend. At the time, Rei remembered thinking, "_She almost seems like Minako after landing a new boy_." Given who those thoughts were entailing, they were pushed aside nearly as fast as they were formed.

While Ami awoke quickly, Zoecite was another matter entirely. Ami had proclaimed that the level of trauma endured by the general had temporarily shut his brain down, even though his body had been completely repaired by Hotaru and Usagi. Whatever the reason for his continued unconscious state, they were all left with only option, they had to wait.

During that time, the group had scattered somewhat. Some had decided to take a walk around the compound while others continued with their routine patrols. For Usagi though, the strain of healing Zoecite then transporting them to the shrine had finally gotten to her, and she had fallen into a deep slumber. One that Rei had been forced to awaken her from in a rather unfortunate manner.

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Wide awake, Usagi cast a worried glance toward the general's room. "How is she?" While the gender pronouns were confusing, for now she decided to stick with the one they found Zoecite in at the alley.

Rei winced at the definitiveness of her friend's gender assignment. "Naru said that Zoecite seemed fine, though she didn't spend much time in the room once "she" had woke up."

Usagi smiled, "Well I guess we can just find out for ourselves."

Haruka, who had remained in the back ground as the two friends talked, took that opportunity to step forward. "Are you going to go like that?"

The blond looked down at herself and saw only the clothes she had put on that morning. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Quite frankly, she thought it was one of her better outfits and the notion that it was somehow wrong was mildly insulting to her.

"Well how can we be sure that all this talk of peace is real? I mean, what if its all a ruse to get us to lower our guard so they can kill you without any real effort on their part." Though she tried hard to adopt the more pacifist ideals of Usagi and the others, Haruka was still unwilling to fully trust a people who had so completely destroyed the Moon Kingdom.

The smile on Usagi's face never faded, but to Haruka and Rei's eyes it somehow changed, becoming more feral. Dark shadows began to creep across her form, obscuring her features behind a veil of impenetrable blackness. Slowly, blood seeped into her normally blue irises giving them a menacing look. Soon, all that remained of Usagi was a pair of eyes and a fanged smile, all the rest was consumed by the swirling mass of darkness. "You forget," she said as a chill filled the room. "I'm not just a normal woman anymore."

Both Rei and Haruka looked on in horror as the transformation swept over their friend and leader. They had known for some time that Usagi was a Vampire, but the blond had always tried to minimize what others saw of that side of her. Teleporting via shadows was easy for the mind to grasp. What they were seeing now was like if Alucard had suddenly appeared before them. That same level of menace and darkness filled the room. For Rei, it was like someone had set of an atom bomb, the energies grated and tore at her mystic senses. Even Haruka, who was not particularly sensitive when it came to any phenomenon other than an internal combustion engine, felt ill at ease with the emanations surrounding her. Just as both women could no longer stand the sight of what their friend had become, the dark apparition abruptly vanished, its evil presence washed away in a glowing tide of Moon Power. The pair felt their fears flow away as all that was left was a giggling Usagi.

"Sorry guys," said the blond as she struggled for control.

Their minds no longer addled by horror, Rei and Haruka both glared at their friend. "Never do that again," screeched Rei. "You gave me a heart attack."

Haruka growled. "Yeah queeny, you need to cut it with the bad joojoo."

Usagi had the good grace to be genuinely apologetic. "Sorry, I just wanted to show you both that I would be fine no matter what they tried. Something that I don't even think they will do."

"Well you sure as hell could have reminded us differently," retorted Haruka.

"You're right," Usagi sighed. "I guess we should be checking on Zoecite. Maybe Ami got something out of her."

The trio made their way towards the back room. Along the way they picked up Naru, who had yet to return to her civilian state. Despite the overtures of friendship, Zoecite was the one person that it would take Naru a long while to even remotely trust. It was probably wrong of her, and she new that, but the guardian on Earth could not totally forget the image of her first real love dying in her arms. Even though she loved Umino with all her heart, she couldn't forget it, and he never asked her to. One day, she may forgive the blond, but not today.

Taking note of her friend's towering appearance, Usagi raised an eyebrow. "What's with the getup?"

Terra shrugged, "Someone has to be ready for a fight." As an afterthought, she added, "Just in case."

Haruka looked at her friends and angrily pointed at Naru. "See! At least someone is taking this seriously!"

"Yeah," sniffed Rei. "Well if you two want to stand around and polish your swords then stay out here and keep quiet. The last thing we need is to spook a possible ally." Though she did not yell, there was a certain something about her voice that left both Haruka and Naru with the distinct feeling as if they had been seriously scolded.

With the more militant women silenced, Usagi continued on to the door. Schooling her features to appear as friendly and open as she could, the blond opened the door. There were several different scenarios she had formulated for what was on the other side of the wooden frame. Most involved Ami and Zoecite quietly talking to each other. One involved the blue-haired woman beating the blond across the face and head with a book. None of those had anything remotely in common with what she was currently witnessing. All she could do is stand they and wordlessly mutter.

Hearing her princess' muttering, Haruka peered around her and got an eyeful of what had set Usagi off. The sight made her salivate but she as not so far gone so as to not say, "Well, she certainly got something off of Zoecite."

That something was the general's slightly charred gray uniform coat; currently that was bunched in a corner where it had been hastily thrown. On the opposite side of the room was Zoecite's undershirt as well, leaving the blond quite, quite, naked from the waist up. Not one to be a rude guest, the woman, and it was quite clear that she was, was in the process of helping Ami out of her own shirt. All either seemed concerned with was the other, as both were lost in an exquisite field of pure bliss.

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As she brought her lips down to Zoecite's, Ami Mizuno's mind took a moment to marvel at the situation. Once, years ago, she had asked Usagi about her relationship with Mamoru. For the mousy, blue-haired, young woman they made no logical sense. It was many a month that the blond had complained about how big of a meanie Mamoru was. Ami had even seen some of his rather disgraceful shots at her friend's looks and intelligence. But then, as if someone had flipped a switch somewhere, the two were all smiles and doe eyes. That the change came with the realization of their past selves made things all the more concerning for Ami.

She was Ami Mizuno, straight A student and loving daughter. That was the person she wanted to be. Sailor Mercury was a cape, a nice jacket, that she put on from time to time. It was the kind of thing that gave her just that extra bit of confidence in her world. Like any jacket it could be put on or taken off, but it never dictated who and what she really was. Usagi's sudden turn threatened to shatter that ideal. Would something happen one day and all of a sudden she was someone else? Would Ami Mizuno die, only to be replaced by a woman dead so long that not even ashes remained of her?

Usagi's answer had never satisfied the young woman. Ami had been at the blond's home helping her study for what was looking like a rather challenging test the next week. On a whim, she had asked her friend how it was possible to make such a quick change. All Usagi had done was look at her and smiled. Now a smile from Usagi was nothing new, the girl had a smile for everything and Ami had seen a great deal of them during her tenure as the blond's friend. There was something different about that smile though. It was older, filled with a maturity that she rarely saw in Usagi. It spoke of things that the blue-haired girl couldn't yet comprehend. It was the kind of smile that your grandma gives you when she talks about something and knows that you, the child, have no idea what she is talking about, but one day you will.

Of course, she didn't understand. There was no way she could. Over the years, Ami had thought back on occasion about that smile and what it could have meant. No matter how much older, or how much wiser, she got, nothing really clicked into place. It was just another abstraction out there, like pi. And just like pi, maybe there was no real solution. At least, not for her. That was something that she had come to accept, at least she did rationally; that part of her soul that still believed in magic, the real kind not the Senshi stuff, just smiled.

And then there was that alley. When Zoecite had said Delphina, the floodgates had opened onto a world of untold possibilities. Suddenly it all clicked into place, the infinities canceled one another out and all she was left with was the marvelous glory of the Truth. Memories, thoughts, beliefs, everything that had existed in the mind of Delphina of Mercury flew through Ami's mind. Each was like a component in some grand equation of her soul. They would come up into the formula that was Ami Mizuno, some were canceled out, never effecting the end result, while others were added, strengthening what had already been there. In the end, it all balanced out and she was left being Ami, but better, more adult, than she had been a short while ago.

As she opened her eyes onto a world that looked much different than it had before, Ami realized that she couldn't reveal who she had become to her friends, not yet. There was someone else she had to talk to first, someone she had to confront.

When Naru had come in with news of Zoecite's awakening, it was all she could do to not jump up and dash to his side. Soon enough she saw him and the numbers in her soul became a song. That melody had dimmed a bit when she witnessed the shocking transformation the her Zo-zo had to undergo. But then, in time with her own love for this man, the song began to build, the symphony gaining strength with each note. In the deepest part of her being she could feel it leading her to a place she had known once, long ago.

She followed it into passion's heated embrace. There was no thought to the thinness of the walls, or to the fact that a few hours ago he had been at death's door. All Ami wanted was to show her man the depths of her devotion in that most primal of languages.

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Neither Zoecite or Ami were in the room any more. No, both were in that special place reserved for lovers and poets. Their whole universe was each other. Clothes, flesh, these were just things that stood in the way of their soul's desperate attempt to join in perfect union. Neither heard the gasps of surprise that the others made upon seeing the pair joined as they were. What did break through their bubble was the loud, and rather recognizable, shriek of one Rei Hino.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

With the sort of suddenness set aside for the totally shocked, both Ami and Zoecite found themselves crashing back into the world. Like a pair of teens caught by an outraged parent, they looked at the quartet in the hall with utter horror. They stared there for a moment, both the reunited lovers and those who caught them. Both sides were in their own states of mental shut down. Soon enough, Ami and Zoecite caught back up with the situation and made a mad grab for clothes to cover themselves from the outsider's stares.

As the couple tried to extricate themselves from each other, Usagi had the presence of mind to slam the door shut. With a small amount of force, she pushed Rei, the still-leering Haruka, and Naru down the hall. "We'll meet you two at the table," she called out before she got too far away.

Ami and Zoecite listened keenly to the sounds of the four women walking away from them. When the sounds had completely died off, the newly minted couple looked at each other.. They stared for several moments until one of them snickered; upon later thought neither quite remembered who started it though. The long torrent of emotions the pair had trampled through were like a perfect mixture of air and fuel. With that one sound, it was as if a match had been struck and ignited an explosion of laughter. Slowly, and a with a great deal of stumbling about, the merry couple managed to get themselves fully clothed and somewhat under control.

Just as Ami was about to open the door, Zoecite grabbed her arm gently. "Wait, what if they don't trust me. I mean, the last time they saw me I was trying to kill you guys," he said ruefully.

Ami cupped her love's soft, feminine, face in her hands. "Listen to me. That was not you. That was some demented Youma in your body." Suddenly, her face became much more seductive as she thought of something that would cheer her Zo-zo right up. "Besides, the last time they saw you was on the beach of the inland sea."

Zoecite's eyes glazed over in remembrance, "You were wearing a light blue number."

"Until we found that grotto," she purred suggestively as she traced circles across Zoecite's expanded chest.

The "man" shuddered at the thought and the sensation. "Yeah," he nearly moaned, "that was a good one."

"Well just keep that floating in the back of your mind. That way you have something to fall back on if you get flustered."

Mamoru's general smiled goofily, "If you keep that up, I'll be getting flustered right here."

"Save that for later," giggled Ami. "Then we can have all the time in the world for some proper flustering."

Zoecite jumped a little, doing some interesting things to his chest. With a quick salute, he said, "Then we better get this party started."

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By the time the couple entered the shrine's main room, it indeed looked as if a party had been declared. Having been called as soon as Zoecite's awakening was announced, all of the Senshi and their major allies were gathered around waiting for the inevitable pow-wow.

Hearing Ami and Zoecite come in, Umino, who was the closest to the hall, turned to take a gander at the one his love hated so. Before he and Naru had joined, they had talked about their past loves and all the feelings behind them. He had seen first hand the raw seething hate that his love harbored towards the one that had killed Nephrite. As the years passed that hatred seemed to have faded into the background of memory. Now though, he knew that it had only been biding its time to be reborn. In the back of his mind, in that special place reserved for only his beloved, Umino felt a white hot ribbon of hate that screamed to be let out and vented upon the blond. As best as he could, the brown-haired man tried to send cooler, more positive, thoughts and feelings back down the line in an effort to prevent what could turn into a break with sanity.

As he walked into the mass of individuals, Zoecite could feel the angry looks. Without a doubt, he knew that, should he make the slightest provocative move, no matter how innocuous it may really be, he would be quite, quite, dead. Just as he was about to bolt and wait for tempers to die down, say a few billion years, the currently feminized man felt his wonderful Ami squeeze his hand. That was enough to stay his feet. There was at least one person in the room who would have his back, no matter what her cohorts may do.

Slowly, the pair walked over to the table and knelt down. Everyone in the room watched them silently. There was an air of importance floating about. Something big was about to transpire before them, but no one knew just what that would be. No matter how important the events though, more than one person had their fingers on the trigger, so to speak.

Looking about at the angry, the curious, the hoping, and the loving faces of those around him, Zoecite took a deep breath. "Before we begin our discussions, there is something I feel I must do. I do not know you all, but to those people I remember, I would like to apologize."

Ami touched her love on the shoulder. Unlike the others, she knew the truth of the matter, "It wasn't your fault."

Zoecite smiled as he looked into the comforting eyes of this woman he cared for so much. "It's okay. I need to say this." Turning to the others, the transformed male continued. "I would like you all to listen to my story before you determine whether or not what Ami says is true."

Never ones to miss out on a good story, the assembled mass scooted a tad closer.

"I remember the day well," started Zoecite. "Ami had just gone back to Mercury for a summit on new methods of extracting energy from the Sun. Though she had only been gone a few hours, I already missed her terribly. The court was up to its usual shenanigans so I slipped out. After a quick hop through the transit network I was walking along the side of the Vedic river near Atlantis' southern coast." The blonde smiled as the sight played out in his mind's eye. "It was warm that day, spring was showing its first signs. As the smell of season wafted passed me, I got caught up in the memory of a time I had taken Ami to that same spot. I guess that was why I never noticed Kunzite.

He was the first you know, he had been at a meeting with Beryl when she drugged him and the Youma possessed him. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. His arrival so shocked me that I never noticed anything wrong with him. He had said that he had come looking for me, that they needed me back at the palace. Believing him, after all he was my best friend in the world, I turned and headed back to the transit pad. That's when he hit me with the stunner. Every muscle in my body locked up, I couldn't scream, I couldn't do anything.

As I laid there, I could hear Kunzite walking towards me. In my mind a million thoughts vied for dominance. I couldn't believe he had done that to me. But, as he flipped me on my back, I started to wish that stunning me was all he did." Zoecite's body began to shiver as his memories took a decidedly darker turn. Without even thinking about it, the feminized man leaned into Ami. "I saw it floating beside him, a dark shape. Even stunned, I could feel the hate and the darkness rolling off of it. It was enjoying my condition. What made it all worse was Kunzite. I could see it in his eyes, he wasn't the same man I knew. Oh sure, the voice and the mannerisms were there, but the eyes, they shined with the same hatred that the creature did.

Suddenly, it jumped at me. I don't know if any of you have been dropped into acid, to be honest I never have myself, but I think that must be what it feels like. Every fiber of my being was torn away by that thing. Every scrap of good, every cherished memory, was devoured by it. When the pain finally went away, I was as you see me now, a woman as complete as any of you. In my mind, it had control. It sought only to destroy, to revel in my despair. And it had a lot to feel good about. In the back of its mind I was there screaming, begging, praying to be released to be reunited with my love and to punish the abomination that had done such harm to me.

After turning the others, condemning them to the same hell that I was in, the creature took me to Ami. She was so confused to see me at the head of the army. The sadness and the horror on her face made my tormenter moan with ecstasy. I don't think any of you can comprehend what it feels like to see the one you love die over and over again and never be able to turn away or change what you see. When Serenity's final attack washed over my body I sincerely wished that I was able to join my love in death.

Instead, I lived. I was the silent watcher of all the depravities my Youma committed between the fall and their attempts to regain a footing in this dimension." By now tears were streaming down Zoecite's cheeks as his voice barely got above a whisper. "You have no idea how much I enjoyed watching you all beat back the Youma we sent after you. And when you finally killed me, I hadn't been happier in millennia. But now, I guess I get a second chance. I'm doing my best to make things right. I know that it wasn't really me who caused you all pain, but it was still my hand, still my body, that did it all. I can only hope you all find in yourselves to forgive me."

Everyone in the room stared at the blonde with open mouthed shock. They all knew the rudimentary story surrounding the rise of Beryl and the fall of the Moon Kingdom, even newcomers like Anderson and Terra and Earth. Everyone expected Zoecite to spout some drivel about how they had been lured to the dark side with promises of power before seeing the light or some other self-effacing nonsense. None of them had ever even conceived of what the blonde had outlined. To be betrayed by a friend, possessed by a Youma, then forced to destroy everything you loved while being made to watch it all? If it wasn't exactly Hell, then it sure seemed close enough.

Looking at the sobbing woman, Naru felt all the rage and the hatred she had accumulated over the years just burn away. There was no way this was the same person that had so coldly killed Nephrite. That was some evil twin, a dark doppleganger out to destroy anything good in the world. What sat before her was nothing short of a rape victim. Zoecite's mind, body, and soul had all be traumatized by the creature. Hell, it was a miracle that the man . . . woman . . . whatever, was even able to talk, instead of staring blankly at some corner of the room. With tears in her own eyes, she dropped her transformation and moved over to the blonde to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I forgive you. I,I don't think I would be as strong as you are if it had been me."

Through the tears, Zoecite spied the one who forgave him and his eyes went wide with recognition. "You're the one who was in love with Nephrite, weren't you?"

A quick stab of sorrow pierced her heart before ducking away, "Yeah, that's me."

"T,thank you, for forgiving me I mean. I can only imagine how much you must hate me."

Naru smiled sadly, "Something tells me that there are levels of hate that only you can even conceive. Let's just say that all is forgiven and let it go. Okay?"

Usagi sat forward, the Silver Crystal erupting into being to flood the room with warmth and good cheer. "Yes, let's all forget about it. We have a future to plan for. But Zoecite, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I think you just made a whole roomful of friends willing to spare one."

Zoecite glanced around the room and took in the multitude of warm and welcoming smiles. He had never been to attract a great deal of friends, his build and manner just turned most people on old Earth off. Here though, that was looking like it was not the case. "Thanks, thank you all."

Setsuna, who had allowed the conversation to go on without her input, took that moment to chime in. "Good. Now, it would probably be best to begin in on the more pressing concerns of our upcoming battle." Though she hated to bring down the warm atmosphere, the Senshi of Time knew that there would be ample opportunities for fellowship after the violent confrontation with Metalia was concluded. Until then, she would do her best to keep them all on the path without trying to seem to severe or uncaring.

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It was over an hour later that their planing and discussions reached something of a conclusion. While all of the talk was interesting for them, some of the Senshi found themselves itching for a fight. The head of that group was none other than Haruka. "Great! Now all we need is some freakin' Youma for Miss Wizard to figure out how to kajigger our powers."

"Actually," said Zoecite with a smile, "I may be able to help with that." Seeing the questioning faces, the currently feminized male elaborated. "Up till now you've been working with just Artemis's memories and Ami's skill with the Mercury Computer, right?"

From his perch on Minako's lap, the white Moon Cat nodded. "That's right. Unfortunately, my memories were swiss-cheesed by the long sleep."

Zoecite nodded, "Right. That's what we thought. Luckily, I happen to remember the good ol' days. Back then, Ami and I talked a lot about Senshi armor and some of her theories on how to improve it. I should be able to help cut down the time needed for the "kajiggering."

Usagi sat up and looked at the assembled group. "Okay, that means we could be ready any day now. I want you all to be prepared to go whenever its time." The blonde waited to see everyone's acceptance of her order before smiling, "Good. Until then though, I want you all to try and get some fun in."

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Deep within the Holy See there is a room that only a select few know of. For nearly two thousand years this room has seen the plotting of schemes so far reaching that only the craziest of conspiracy theorists would ever believe in their reality. From this place Enrico Maxwell ran the Vatican Section XIII, codenamed Iscariot. Over the years he had seen and heard many astounding and awe-inspiring things. The reports of his most trusted assassins though stretched even the boundaries of his acceptance. "How can we be sure as to the veracity of these claims you make. Surely this Vampire can not be a child of our Lord."

Yumiko and Heinkel stared straight ahead, neither displaying the anger that their superior's reservations engendered in them. "Sir, our report is accurate and complete. If ve had been tainted by any Vampiric powers the vards vould have sounded," responded the blonde assassin tersely.

She had a point. The wards of the Vatican were some of the strongest on the planet. Anyone with the slightest trace of a dark taint would not have been able to enter the room. They were telling the truth, at least as far as they knew it to be. Such truths had been told numerous times throughout the vatican the last few days. Heinkel and Yumiko had not been idle in telling all of their encounter with a supposed divine being. Matters were made all the more problematic by the samples that they had brought with them. "And you swear that these items are authentic?"

Again the blonde answered. "Yes sir. Ve took them to Matthew and they checked them against our reliquaries. They all vent off like sirens."

Maxwell heard the tone of his agent's voice and mentally winced. There was an unmistakeable amount of displeasure in there. The questions, with their answers on the sheet before him, were starting to annoy the assassin. In the past, he would have rebuked her if the displeasure even made itself known in the first place. Situations were becoming perilous these days though. For those who had thought about it, this was a nightmare scenario. While it was true that he wanted God to descend from Earth and wipe the world clean of sin, the reality was that, as soon as a truly divine figure came along then all his, and the Vatican's power would probably come to an end. In the fullness of honesty, the Vatican was the voice of God on Earth, if God could speak directly to the masses then who needed the Vatican? It was already occurring around him. Whether she knew it or not, this Usagi Tsukino was unraveling the foundations of an order that had gone unopposed for nearly two thousand years. And what made the whole situation so much more infuriating was that he could do nothing to stop it.

Unwillingly, he nodded. "Very well, as head of Vatican Section XIII I certify these reports as accurate and beyond reproach. As such I will inform the Pope that a Level 2 divine being has been located. Further, given the nature of these reports and the dire events ahead, I will suggest that the Paladin corp be dispatched to aid said being in her quest."

Tension visibly drained from the two women. "Thank you sir," exclaimed Yumiko happily.

In a hopeless move to retain his grasp on the situation, Maxwell sat up. "Remember, these will just suggestions his excellency. Nothing is official yet."

"Ve are avare sir," replied Heinkel. "I haf' no doubt that his excellency vill agree." And everyone in the room knew that he would. News of their discovery had reached even the Pope and John Paul certainly was enthusiastic over the events.

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With one last burst of pure pleasure, Naru watched her beloved slide to his side of the bed. After getting the equivalent of "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die," from Usagi the group had split up. Naru had taken the advice to heart and quickly dragged her love back home for some rather rigorous merrymaking. Knowing now that the final battle was soon to come, she wanted to make every second count with Umino, lest one of them not make it back.

"We're both going to make it," announced Umino. In his words there was no ounce of doubt to be heard.

Naru turned on her side to look him in the eye. "You say that so confidently."

Umino slid a hand across her exposed hip. He wasn't able to look her in the eye though. "If you die, I don't think I could go on. And I'm pretty sure you feel the same way. So, either we both live, or . . ." He couldn't finish the thought.

He didn't need to though, Naru understood perfectly. "I do feel the same. Together forever."

"Together forever," he copied with a smile.

With him laying on his back, Naru slid over and positioned herself on top of her love. "What do you say, up for another round?"

For not the first time, Umino thanked the heavens that he had become the avatar of Earth. It was only because of that link that he was able to maintain the stamina to smile and grind himself against her. "You tell me."

She moaned with appreciation. "If we keep this up, we'll be too tired to fight," she groaned.

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"I still say that its not fair damnit," groused Minako as she downed another shot of the finest chocolate ice cream in Tokyo. After the meeting she had retreated to the tiny shop and proceeded to drown her sorrows in the bottom of a crystal bowl of the frozen treat.

"What's not fair," asked a voice from behind.

The blonde woman jumped and whirled around to face the speaker. To her surprise, it was none other than Setsuna. "What are you doing here?" As a rule, none of the Senshi every really saw their enigmatic comrade outside of some dire circumstances.

Setsuna gracefully slid into the booth across from Minako. She smiled as she got settled. "I thought that I would come by here and talk with one of my fellows."

"And you decided to talk to me. Why not Haruka or Michiru?"

"To be honest, you looked like you needed someone to talk to. So, again, what's not fair?"

Its odd how things work. You go through life seeing every day as the same and not having any issues with it. Then, one day, an event happens. It may not even have anything to really do with you, but when it hits your whole stable little life shatters and you see it for the illusion that it is. "Why can't I get someone? I mean, Ami's got herself a hottie. Ami! I'm supposed to be the love one, yet none of the guys ever seem to want me."

"I can't say for sure. Back in the old days, you and your predecessors had the same difficulties. Senny always thought that it was your views on love that caused it."

Minako didn't know how to take that. On the one hand, she was glad that there had been some sort of precedent for her plight, but the other was really not liking the way Setsuna explained it. "What do you mean, my views on love?"

Setsuna sighed, "You all set up for yourselves this little world were there is a perfect guy for every girl. People see each other across a crowded room and immediately know that they are fated to be. And, in your world, all the men are handsome and the women are attractive. Don't deny any of this, I've seen how you and your ancestors have talked remember."

"But that's how it works, isn't it? I've heard tones of stories like that." And she had. Over the years Minako had gobbled up those stories like Usagi and sweets. They fueled her days and comforted her nights. Such tales had shaped many a dream of happiness for herself and all those around.

"We have all heard those stories, and I am sure that there are a hand full of instances where they actually happened. They are the exceptions rather than the rules, I am afraid. For most, love is something that evolves between two people when they realize that the other person will accept them more than most and try to change them less than others. For as long as I've done my job, that is the kind of love a considerable measure of the population ends up with."

"So what are you saying?"

"I am saying that, in a rather short amount of time, we will all be in an unpleasant place doing unpleasant things and now is probably not the time to be bemoaning any inequities in your love life; be they real or imagined."

Minako flushed red but did nothing to deny her comrade's words. "Yeah, probably not the best time."

The green-haired woman smiled and decided to add a bit of hope to the younger woman's day. "But remember, the people we are going to be working with remember the old days, know about our club and can help out, are attractive, know relatively little about the modern world, and are probably single." Her smile grew even bigger when she saw Minako's eyes grow and then fog over as a line of drool worked its way down her chin.

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It had been several days since the 'traitorous' Zoecite had 'tricked' his way into the enemy's hands and the remaining leaders of the Negaverse were gathered to discuss the ramifications of that defection. Once again, they were in their secure command room and each secretly hoped that the wards and shielding were everything their scientists promised.

"So, Zoecite made it through," asked Beryl.

Jaedite stepped up to the console and started a video. "Yes. As you can see, Zoe has managed to make it to Tokyo and has started working with the Senshi. He's been mostly conferring with Mercury from what we can tell and his contributions have let them halve the duration of an attack."

Mamoru watched the video intently and smiled at the closeness displayed by Ami and Zoecite. "Good. They both needed that. How much longer on the Senshi front?"

At the outer most edge of the light, Nephrite was working on a crystalline rectangle. His fingers flew over the surface as numbers and equations of both a mathematical and magical nature danced across the display. So engrossed was he in his work that it took two callings from Mamoru to get his attention. "Wha? Sorry my lord. You were saying?"

"How much longer until we can expect to see a Senshi attack?"

"A few days. The end of the week at most. Zoecite brought me up to speed on some of the aspects so I could better predict the attack, still the calculations are complex. We should keep sending the Youma through as we have. Each attack brings them closer to being able to unlock their powers."

Beryl nodded, the Senshi aspect was a real sticking point for the whole plan. Neither group could openly communicate in any way, yet so much rested on them being in contact. "What should we expect in the way of allies for the Senshi?"

"Alucard is a given," started Kunzite. He waited for the shivers to die down before continuing. "I also suspect that Hellsing's other vampire will join in, her cannon could be of some use. Additionally, given the video reports from the Youma, we should expect the Vatican's assassin, Anderson, to be there. And the two Earth fighters should also attend."

"Do you think that will be enough," asked Mamoru.

"There is no way to tell, my lord. Given our plans, most, if not all, of the Youma should be gone in response to their attack. If that happens, then we will just have to deal with Metalia. If something happens though, and there are still Youma in place, then their numbers will factor greatly as to our success or failure."

"I would like to take this moment to again remind you all that you do not have to fight," stated Beryl firmly. "I fight to save my people, but the rest of you could live long, happy, lives."

The men looked at one another and shared a look. "We're staying, love."

Kunzite nodded at his lord, "Right. We all have reasons to be here."

She graced each man with a smile. "Thank you. If we live through this, you all get a vacation." Beryl's happy smile then smoothed back into her business face. "What of Omega?"

Jaedite, who was the architect of Omega, typed up several screens. "Its ready for activation. Just say the word and every ward in the castle will be inverted. They should hold long enough to shield the outside world from the magical black hole created by the destabilization of the main core."

In the old days, before there were any Silver Crystals or Serenitys to wield them, the inner planetary bodes were always at some war condition. For the most part, the planets used mana taps to power transit nets and hover cars. When it came to the defense of the major citadels though, such methods were seen as not sufficient to supply the power needed. So, for those structures, magitechs devised cores that siphoned off the energy created by the constant interaction of life and anti-life. Normally, they were so shielded that it was practically impossible for them to destabilize. Even then, everything was designed so that any failure of the shielding would result in the whole matrix collapsing in on itself leaving only some residual background magic. As a final solution to the whole Metalia problem, Jaedite had suggested that they completely disable the safeties on the core. In theory, with all of those off-line, the core would create a miniature black hole that would last for only a few seconds. But it should be more than powerful enough to totally destroy both the castle, Metalia, and anything else within the outer wards.

"Good, good," muttered Beryl. "If we make it through, how hard will it be to redo the safeties?"

The blond-haired man waved off the question. "Not hard at all. Maybe twenty minutes, if I take my time."

"Well then," started Mamoru, "it looks like we're ready."

"And now comes the hardest part of any battle," said Kunzite, "the waiting."

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Even with Zoecite's help with the calculations, it still took Ami some time to figure out the intricacies of altering the Senshi. She was nothing but patient though, and eventually the blue haired wunderkin had all the equations sorted out and a clear procedure set up for the changing of their powers. Since they were all operating blind in this instance, she had advised that the procedure take place far away from anyone who may get hurt as a result of a misfired spell. Setsuna had suggested a high mesa in the American west. It was within a day's hike if something went wrong and they got stuck, but it was high and far enough away that no one could possibly be injured.

One Senshi teleport later, and the nine woman, two cats, and one former General were in place. The rest of their team were back in Tokyo to defend against any potential Youma attacks.

Being ever vigilant, Haruka looked out over the vast, arid, landscape below. Rationally, she knew that there was no possibilities that there were any bad guys around, she was not taking a single chance. Now when they were so close to the invasion. "Okay, we're all here. Now what."

"We all stand in a circle around the Mercury computer. Each of us powers up and focuses on Usagi. She will channel that power into the computer and it will guide her in making the changes."

Everyone looked at the little blue device with trepidation. "Um Ami. How is it going to do that? Its just a computer right," asked their blonde leader.

"Its magic AI was originally designed to interface with the Senshi's armor. It was probably used to create each of us," surmised Ami. "Zoecite and I have modeled the changes in the computer, so it knows what to do. It will just be providing the instructions while you do all the work."

Usagi, and the rest of the women, felt a load lift from her shoulders. It felt a lot better to know that there would be a human at the wheel for this, so to speak. "Okay. We should get going. We don't want to leave Naru and Umino with no back up for too long."

The others agreed with their leader and arranged themselves in a circle as per Ami's instructions. Standing outside, as both spectators and possible aid should something terrible occur were the Moon Cats and Zoecite. "We're ready here," said the blonde man as he readied wards around him and the cats.

One by one, each Senshi called out her planet's name and summoned the maximum of their power. Before too long, enough energy to crack a planet in twain was being channeled directly into Sailor Moon. The strain of such power was staggering, even for one who had experienced such things before. Taking great care so as to not vaporize the tiny computer, she channeled the power through its crystalline matrix. As her mind made contact with the primitive consciousness of the AI, Usagi saw the strands that bound her to the Senshi and the Senshi to their worlds. Each could be changed to her whim, adding, subtracting, or even knotting them to fit her desires. But that was not what she was there for on this day. With the AI's help, she was able to find the stings that needed to be altered. Now that she was finally doing it, the amount of work Ami had put into the whole affair seemed insane. It was just so easy to do that she almost got carried away.

To the outside observer, the Senshi were encased in a column of white light nearly a mile high. Arcs of energy, colored the same as the various women, shimmered across its surface. It was humbling to be in the presence of such raw power. One could make the argument that such a show had heralded the coming of the universe so long ago. "How long is this going to take," asked Artemis after an hour.

Zoecite looked down and noticed both cats staring up at him. "Why are you looking at me? No one's ever done this before. I've got no idea how long its going to take."

Luna sighed and curled up on the warm rock. "Then I suggest we all get comfortable."

The blond-haired male nodded and pulled out a folding chair from his spell pocket. He could feel the stares on his back and he shrugged. "Its always good to be prepared."

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When they synced their power with Usagi's, the Senshi felt themselves falling through space. The sheer vastness of the cosmos totally unfiltered by nature or technology was humbling. Before the universe shattered their minds with its size, a great weight tied each of them down, tugging them to one round orb or another. When they finally reached solid ground after falling for what seemed to be an eternity, each found herself alone in a gray expanse that seemed to have no bounds. Every sound but one seemed to be absorbed by the wisps of fog that drifted through the area. Only the sounds of tears reached the women's ears.

Since they had no idea where to go, each woman headed toward the sounds. None of them really knew how long their journey took, but eventually, a form began to coalesce in the distance. Slowly, they came to realize that it was a child whose cries had alerted them. All of the women, even Haruka whose matriarchal skills were not that prevalent, moved to comfort them. But, instead of allowing themselves to be wrapped up in an embrace, the children recoiled from them. In their wide eyes, the Senshi could see raw, naked, terror writing within them. At the same time, they noticed the symbols that glowed upon the children's foreheads.

A while ago, Setsuna had told them about her world. At how she had seen its heart and heard its screams. Even then, just as the green-haired woman had been describing it, they had all be horrified. Now, confronted with their own planets and seeing the horrors that had been wrought upon innocents, they felt sick to be called Senshi. Falling to their knees, great heaving sobs wracked their bodies. How many times? How many times had one of their attacks also hurt the poor creatures before them?

They were frozen, their bodies paralyzed by unfathomable sadness. How long they stayed that way, none of them could say. Eventually, the roles of child and adult switched, and the representations of planets came up and tried to wrap their tiny arms around the crying women. Soon, every source of sorrow in their lives came pouring out in one long stream. All the while, the children stayed with them, giving the grieving women all the support they could.

After what seemed like ages, the tears dried up. All of the pain and sadness of their lives were extinguished. Slowly, hesitant to relive such an experience, they looked up into the eyes of their bond planet. Instead of pain there, they saw only love and acceptance. Together, Senshi and Planet had gone through the worst pain imaginable. And in the experience they had become bonded, in the truest sense of the word. One would go out to fight while the other would stay behind, giving comfort, support, and a whole host of things that neither being could imagine right then.

It was then that they felt a tug on their bodies. For a moment they were confused, but soon they knew the source of the pull. The spell was reaching its end and they were being called back to their real bodies. With a smile and a wave, the children bid them a fond farewell as the world faded.

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After nearly a day of waiting, the light coruscating across the Senshi came to a halt. For those that had been waiting, this moment was a welcome relief. The first few hours of their vigil had been fine, Zoecite having brought a great deal of supplies with him. Soon though, board games and reading lost most of its luster. The man and cats eventually settled into shifts, with one keeping watch while the other two slept. Even that only held boredom at bay for so long.

So it was that, by the time the Senshi returned from their magic unconsciousness, anything different was met with astonishment. Still, the sight of the nine women was more than a little awe-inspiring. Though the light of the spell had faded, the Senshi, their clothes, their hair, even their eyes, glowed with an inner luminescence. Obviously something had happened, but none of the observers could say what that something was.

A part of the Senshi marveled at the glowing countenance of their comrades, but mostly they were consumed by wonderment. Power coursed through their veins like never before. Even when they had finally ascended to the their level at the start of this whole affair did they not feel so invigorated. Intertwined with that all, there was a sense of peace and contentment.

"So I take it that all went well," asked Luna.

Sailor Moon smiled at her feline companion and nodded. "It went . . . Mercury, what did happen?"

Neptune looked at the resident genius, "Did we really touch our planets." Her voice was soft and it held a hint of pain from intense experience.

Mercury picked up her computer and began examining the readings from the event. "I don't understand. The readings here say that we did have multi-planar interactions with out individuals planets."

"How can that be Mercury," asked a confused Zoecite, "that was nowhere in our calculations."

"You're right. Both of us decided that it would be too much to worry about right now. I have no idea how it could have happened."

"Could it have been me," asked Sailor Moon.

Saturn stepped up to her friend, "Why you?"

"Its just, I heard what we were doing to the planets and I was so sad. I wanted to do something about it right away, but Mercury said that we couldn't right now. Maybe that did something when I started this."

The Senshi of Mercury ran that through what she knew. "That's possible. We know that the Crystal works as much on your will as it does on any real rules. It will probably take Zoecite and I some time to work through this data though."

"Um," said Uranus, "as interesting as this is, your worshipfulness, we should probably get back to Tokyo."

"You just want to beat up some Youma," quipped Venus.

"Damn straight!"

Zoecite butted in, "She's right though. We've been gone nearly a day. There's no telling what has been going on."

All of the Senshi started at that. While it had all felt like an eternity, a part of them thought that it had been the magic stretching time out. A few minutes, or maybe an hour or two, of passing time they were ready for. That almost a whole day had been burnt by the spell was staggering; especially since they felt more awake now than they had before entering it. Who knew how many Youma were currently attacking the city.

Straightening up, Moon looked to her non-Senshi allies. "Quick. Get your stuff cleaned up. We're leaving in five minutes."

Thanks to Zoecite's spell pocket, the clean up didn't take up anywhere near the full time. Soon enough the Senshi were once again gathered in a circle for a return trip to Japan.

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Umino and Naru did not stay to see their friends off on their journey. The warrior couple knew that, with the Senshi gone, the pool of protectors was drastically diminished. So they stayed behind, the lone guardians for all of Tokyo. It was true that Alucard and Anderson remained behind as well, but there was something about the Senshi that said they were really there to fight by your side. As for the two men, it was better to just stay out of the way and pray they didn't attack you in their bloodlust.

At first they really didn't think there would be much to do while their friends were away. All involved assumed that the process would be a reasonably short one. In addition, the attacks had been occurring at a pretty regular intervals; something that Zoecite confirmed as being part of the plan. The operation was planned for a time between attacks in hope that by the next one there would be a small army capable of handling the infernal beasts. Unfortunately, the plan failed horribly. Instead of arriving at a predictable rate, more and more Youma were appearing faster and faster. Even with all their power and their speed, Terra and Earth were becoming increasingly incapable of handling them all. Casualties were starting to mount and more than once the couple had landed at the site of an attack and found only the bloody remains of innocents who had counted on them to protect them.

Should one happen across Terra and Earth it would be rather easy to confuse them for the Olympians of old. Their bodies looked to be sculpted from marble and covered by flesh. Both possessed power over the elements that seemed to rival only the gods. In battle it looked as if they could shatter whole planets before their wrath. The real truth was that these people were just that, people. Behind the godly visages, they were just two people trying to make their way through life while in that nebulous zone between teenagedom and adulthood. Seeing so many bodies torn asunder by the creatures shook the couple to their cores. Had they the time, it was quite probable that they would have shut down.

So it was that the couple was greatly relieved to hear their communicators ring. "Where have you been," gasped out Terra desperately.

One the screen Sailor Moon's face had a mixture of sadness and concern. "We just got back. How bad is it?"

"Pick a ward Moon, there's probably a few Youma there. Why didn't Zoecite warn us?" From her tone, it was quite evident that Terra knew why the blond-haired general hadn't said a word.

"He thinks that Metalia somehow found out that we left the city and upped the attacks."

"Well whatever. Just start attacking something," she growled.

"We're on our way," chorused out the rest of the Senshi.

000000000

The Sailor Senshi rushed through the city as if the hounds of hell were upon them. For a while now they had been unable to defend the people as they so earnestly desired. In battle they had to fight delaying actions while they waited for Terra or Earth to come and deliver the final blow. They were the Senshi with a proud tradition of pushing back the darkness in the name of Love and Justice. Even when the situation called for one of their own to be unable to dispatch a given fiend, there was always the consolation prize of knowing that a fellow Senshi could step up and take it out.

Now though, things were different. Power coursed through their veins like never before. Today the call had gone out and now they were finally able to answer it to their satisfaction. Across rooftops and down empty roads did they run in search of their quarry. The first to find a Youma was Sailor Jupiter.

Black and fearsome, it loomed menacingly at the center of an intersection. At seeing the creature, the brown-haired woman grinned ferally as the antenna on her tiara extended. Lightning arced towards her from high above and she made quick work of redirecting to towards the fiend. With a yell she hurled twin balls of lightning at it. Those who watched, if there had been any who remained, would have looked on in awe as Jupiter's body seemed to blur then vanish. Only the seething mass of electricity that had encircled the Senshi's form remained as it continued towards the Youma. Even as it tried to avoid the oncoming storm, the twin bolts slammed into it. The creature writhed in agony as enough power to light up a city block roared through its body. Had it the capacity, the vile beast would have prayed for the pain to stop, no matter the cost. Whether or not it appreciated it as such, the universe did answer that prayer. Mere moments after the first attacks landed, the mass of pure, unleashed, electrical chaos blew a massive hole straight through the Youma's body.

Down the road from the rapidly disintegrating Youma, the ball of electricity that had plowed through the creature dissipated to reveal an astonished Sailor Jupiter. "D,did I do that," gasped the woman as she looked back at the fiend that had given them all so much trouble in the past. All she had intended to do was rush the thing, maybe wail on it with some lightning enhanced punches. Instead, something seemed to have grabbed hold of her and catapulted her to fantastic speeds. Her musings were cut short by another roar emanating a block or two over. So, putting her confusion aside, Sailor Jupiter rocketed towards the next battle.

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All across the city similar events were occurring. In each encounter, the Senshi discovered newer and more powerful abilities. Mercury managed to freeze one Youma to nearly absolute zero, while Venus completely vaporized another. Even Saturn, whose powers for destruction needed no boosting, found her ability to heal greatly enhanced; something she discovered when she came across an exhausted Terra and proceeded to completely restore the woman's flagging energy reserves.

In short order, the Senshi and their allies managed to completely thwart the Youma invasion. Across the city, men and women paid witness to their heroes once again saving the day. For so long their faith in their protectors had waned. Now, as children were placed in the outstretched arms of their parents, as the old and the infirm were snatched from the icy clutches of death, the people felt that faith renewed and more. Soon enough, the Senshi didn't need roars or Mercury to point them towards a Youma, the men and women of Tokyo were pointing them towards the nearest foe.

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Even with their newfound power, the work was exhausting. So it was that, as the Sun set on the day, the Senshi and Earth's own guardians staggered into the shrine. As soon as the outer doors closed, all of the transformations were dropped and with them every soul in the room fell into a tangled mass. There were only the slightest of groans in protest to the event. It was just a token protest as everyone more or less fell asleep as soon as they came to a stop.

For a while they just laid wherever gravity had deposited them. The vagaries of propriety, or even comfort, were forgotten as they relaxed in Morpheus' gentle embrace. Finally, as darkness filled the space, Nobuyuki Hino slowly stepped into the room. During the day he had listened to the radio as it told the grisly tale unfolding in the city below. So it came as no surprise to see the mass of arms and legs before him. "To think that such young people can do so much good," he marveled. "Though I wish they they had laid out in a manner that looked more comfortable. If they stay like that they will all me sore come the morning." Looking at the shadows, the priest stood to his full height. "So vampire. Will you help place them in more dignified positions?"

The darkness chuckled and a face appeared. "Interesting. I would not have thought you were aware of me."

Nobuyuki made a dismissive sound, "Please. Your kind might be masters of shadow and stealth but I've faced your kin before and the lot of you positively ooze darkness. I could feel you as soon as you entered the temple grounds."

Those blood-red eyes narrowed in thought. "And yet you have not done anything about my presence."

"Like I could. While I may have faced others like you, you are far more powerful than any I have met. So I left you to them. If they haven't complained then who am I to? So are you going to help me or not?"

Alucard stepped from the shadows and looked at the tiny man who had challenged him. "I suppose I could give it some thought." Despite the noncommittal tone he used, the No-Life King worked silently to arrange the young people into a more comfortable position. It was not every day that a human, aware of his power, treated him so. Such behavior was to be rewarded.

As he was leaving, the elderly man's voice called out to him. "Are you going to fight alongside them?"

The Vampire turned, his eyes shining with barely contained madness. "Yes," he purred, "I will fight. I will shred. I will maul. And when my work is done, not a single one of those poor copies will ever walk this earth again."

For a while, Nobuyuki had been repressing the fears that welled up in him by just being near this dark creature. Those efforts failed completely upon hearing Alucard though. The creature before him was worse than he had even imagined. He just hoped that Usagi and the others would keep a tight hold on him, lest the world feel the vampire's wrath.

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Across town, in a hotel room far too small to adequately hold him, Father Alexander Anderson sat in silent meditation. Here, in the silence, soul and God communicated effortlessly. With a heart full of sorrow, he prayed to the Lord to see the souls of the dead safely into his arms. So many lives had been snuffed out on this day. So many who had never given themselves to God and attained eternal salvation. For a man of God, such was a terrible crime. And, as if the situation by itself was not thoroughly lamentable, Anderson knew that, had he just been there, a great many of those lives might have been saved. Instead, fate had conspired to place him somewhere else as the hordes of Hell were unleashed upon the people of Tokyo.

Another probably could have done it. One of the Hellsing Organization's countless lawyers could have interfaced between the Vatican and the Japanese government. Hell, it didn't even require someone like that, a faceless file clerk in the Diet would have been able to do the job. Instead of all those options, the Vatican had asked, ne insisted, that it was he that would be the liaison between the government and them. He was the one that had to obtain visas for the people the Vatican was sending. He was the one that had to smooth over all the ruffled feathers and make sure that none of his former associates didn't try to kill some well-meaning cog in the great bureaucratic machine. He was the one that had to sit in some claustrophobia-inducing room while a tiny man in tinier glasses gave him the run around, all the while, in the background, a constant stream of news reports detailed the deaths that were occurring throughout Tokyo.

It was strange, as he thought about all those deaths, Alexander looked back to the man he was a year ago. Back then things had been so simple, life so clear. Catholics were the chosen people of God, and all others were aligned in a descending scale of heresy. Those who would not conform, those who did not submit, those who spoke aloud falsehoods designed to push others down paths that lead away from the Lord, they were all enemies. He could, and had, kill a blasphemer. Should a non-Catholic die, there was no real regret. There had been multiple opportunities for the non believers to follow the Lord's path, if they were to blind or too arrogant to do so then their damnation was their own fault. Now though, such simplicity seemed like a rather distant memory.

Usagi, he reflected, she was the cause of this all. It was impossible to spend any time around the young woman and not have a bit of her world view rub off on you. In her world there were no sinner nor were there any saints, there was just people. People who just went about their lives trying their best to live up to society's standards. In many ways, it was a rather naive way of looking at the world. Reality demanded heroes and villains, even if they were the good neighbor and the bad shop owner. But, as Alexander thought about it, he began to wonder whether or not such views would be held by Jesus upon his return. Such ideas began to give the priest new eyes with which to see the world.

Well tomorrow would be the day. He would lead the host to Usagi and together the armies of light would wage war against the forces of darkness. For someone like Anderson, who had waded hip deep in the bodily fluids of those he had killed, such a battle made his heart rage with anticipation. Even with Usagi's new way, battle had been his business for so long that it was a part of him. And business was looking to be quite good indeed.

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What neither Nobuyuki nor Alucard anticipated as they arranged the group was the room's position in relation to the Sun. At night this was not a problem, and everyone slept soundly with nary a care in the world. As dawn reared her bright, shining, head above the horizon though, such unfortunate positioning really started to make a difference. Slowly, a line of light worked its way across the shrine's floor on a path straight for the slumbering group.

As the light beam intersected with the slumbering defenders a collective series of groans were released. Given their role as nighttime vigilantes the room's occupants had developed into rather enthusiastic night owls. The presence of the Sun so early in the day was most assuredly not welcome.

"When I'm made queen," croaked Usagi, "remind me to outlaw the Sun." Several moans, one or two groans, and one salute from Haruka showed that everyone was quite on board with their friend's rather insane proclamation, at least for right now.

Like a zombie army, the brave defenders of Tokyo and the world, slowly shuffled away from the shrine and towards their respective homes. The plan, if one could call it that, was to bathe, get something to eat and then regroup back a the shrine in a few hours. After that things became sketchy. Luckily, working on the fly was a skill they had developed long ago and so no one was really concerned that the later plans were not fully in place. Instead, they busied themselves with enjoying the lull before the battle.

Several hours later, the Senshi, Terra and Earth, along with Zoecite all converged on the shrine. Their faces were considerably more lively than when they left that morning, still their smiles were grim. With their powers now more than capable of dispatching the new Youma, everyone knew that the last hurtle was finally over. Now, the only remaining hold back was Anderson.

"Where is he," growled Naru. "He wasn't out there yesterday either."

Usagi checked her watch. "I don't know. I called him earlier and he said that he'd be here." Of their two shall we say, eccentric, allies, Alexander was always the one that was the most into the whole team dynamic. His absence yesterday, and then his tardiness today, was most troublesome.

Echoing from all around the group, Alucard chuckled. "It is such a shame when the clergy becomes so unreliable."

Almost unanimously, the room's occupants thought, "_And you are_?" While everyone might have thought that, no one was crazy, or stupid, enough to actually say it. After all, it did not do much for a person's life expectancy to mock or question the dark creature.

Of all of the group, Usagi was the one least likely to do something that everyone else thought was wise. As such, she had no compunction in asking the question on everyone's minds. "Um, Alucard, I thought you weren't there yesterday either."

The red clothed man appeared for all to see. "Alas," he sighed, "there were other concerns that placed themselves before me. Such carnage," said the Vampire wistfully. "I do hope the battle to come is equally as violent."

Now she was really curious, "What concerns?" Things that separated Alucard from slaughter were things that the blonde really needed to know about, lest a new threat crop up to cause some problems.

While such things really didn't require it, Alucard felt that this occasion required a bit of showmanship. Stepping aside, he held out an arm to the woman behind him. "A new dark lady was born."

The woman he presented was none other than Seras Victoria. She stood erect and positively oozed confidence. It was clear to those that had met the vampiric woman that something had changed in regards to her. There was an air of darkness about her that was separate from Alucard's own. "Looks like I'll be joining in."

Pale faces and the occasional look of disgust followed Seras' announcement. While none of the people doubted the effectiveness of the Vampire's help, there was a certain distaste in using such a dark accomplice. The one smiling face was Usagi's. "Good for you Seras! See I told you that you'd get that."

Seras smiled at her friend. Though she had become a full Vampire, the woman was glad that someone still saw her as the human she once was. "Thanks Usagi," she chirped as she joined the group around the table. "I'm looking forward to the battle."

"Uh yeah," said Minako as she scooted a ways away from the woman. "But where's Anderson? Wasn't he supposed to be coming?"

Makoto sat up, "He'll be here. I have complete faith in him."

"That's not all that you have for him," muttered Haruka as she sipped her tea.

Whatever Makoto's response would have been, it was completely halted by the room's door opening to reveal Alexander Anderson. "Sorry Ah'm late."

"Oh we couldn't start without you, paladin," purred Alucard.

Not really comprehending the cornucopia of subtext behind the Vampire's words, Usagi nodded. "Yeah! You're a part of the team now Alexander."

"Though I would like to know where you were yesterday," asked Naru bitterly.

The man's face flushed with shame, an emotion so out of place upon it's visage that it appeared as if an alien creature took hold there. "Its true. Ah was not out fighting and a great many suffered because of that. If ye all follow me, Ah hope ye can understand my reasons." Not allowing anyone to answer in the affirmative or the negative, Anderson turned and strode out of the room.

They all shared a look as they mulled over his words. It had been quite clear that the man really regretted his lack of presence yesterday. If he felt so down, then his reasons for being gone might just be as good as he said. Once that collective thought passed through their minds, everyone scrambled to get up and out the door to see for themselves what those reasons were. Now as they followed the towering man, each person had their own idea as to what Anderson wanted them to see. Upon emerging into the light of day and laying eyes upon his surprise, no one found those ideas having any substance in the reality before them.

Just after the long flight of steps that led to the shrine proper stood two rows of the most formidable men and women that most people had ever seen. Individuals of every color and creed stood shoulder to shoulder as one unified force. Their uniforms were of simple Catholic clerics. These were people who held the word of God upon their lips and their love for the Lord shone from their eyes like a great beacon. At the same time, each exuded an aura of subtle menace that spoke quite clearly that they would spread the Gospel to the masses via the word or the sword.

At the center of the group, in the position of ambassador, was a blond-haired woman in priestly garb. By her side was a nun with wide glasses and a nervous smile. "My lady," spoke Heinkel reverently, "his eminence the Pope sends his greetings. He has asked Iscariot to send the Paladin Corp here to help you in your grand crusade against the darkness."

Right there, Usagi felt the world shift around her. It was the same feeling that she had gotten when her royal heritage had been made evident. Now she was no longer a monarch of a long-gone kingdom. The Senshi, though technically soldiers, were her friends through and through. Standing before though was not a collection of friends whose ties to her were just as much of friendship as they were ancient oaths of loyalty. Instead, for the first time in millennia, a heir to the silver crown had an army. And, as if to solidify that status, the men and women bowed as one; to her.

Sighing deeply at the hand destiny had once again dealt her, Usagi slapped on her most diplomatic smile. "Thank you all for your support. Though I don't know your names right now, hopefully we can all be friends. But I do have one request, please no more of the bowing and scraping. I'm just a person like all of you. Okay," she asked with a genuine smile.

A number of stunned nods and mumbled, yes' were the group's response. They had, of course, been warned. Warned that the woman that they were to meet was one who saw herself as no better than those around her. Some had thought that such humility was a further sign of her greatness. While most believed that she would, at the very least, insist on some sort of title. To see such true humility though was astounding and it only served to enhance their desire to please her.

Among the first to regain their composure after seeing the small army was Ami. The Senshi's tactical genius turned to the hulking priest with a critical eye, "How much do they know?"

Long used to how the Senshi operate, Anderson smoothly slipped into his role as intermediary, "Ah did my best tae bring them up tae speed on ye all and our plans for the battle."

"What are you thinking Ami," asked Minako as she looked at the assembled group and ran some of her own calculations, "pair two or three of them with each of us?"

Haruka grinned, "That's what we did in the old days."

"It should work," mused the blue-haired woman. "They don't need to know the whole plan if they can follow our instructions."

"And they can do that very well," assured Alexander. "They have to to have reached the rank of Paladin."

"Start splitting them into groups then," commanded Usagi. Seeing the looks of surprise on her friend's faces, she smiled. "We have all the forces we're going to get. And if we plan any more I'm going to go crazy. So I say we go, now. How about the rest of you?"

"You know that we've got your back," said Rei confidently.

Naru grinned and cracked her knuckles, "And we're not about to let you go out on a dangerous mission without us."

"Right," affirmed Umino.

Before anyone could say something else, Alucard's dark laughter sounded through the area. "Cry havoc! And let slip the dogs of war!"

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For the third time in so few minutes the small room shook. As he grabbed hold of the central monitor to keep himself upright, Jaedite couldn't help but say, "Well at least we know that they can still blow things up."

"Yes, I suppose its just luck that we were going to clean up the place," said Nephrite gruffly. "Maybe they can suggest some drapes after they're done with the demolition! My lord," he exclaimed as he looked to Mamoru, "can we go now? Zoecite and the others are fighting for us."

Beryl nodded and stood to her full height, "We have let others fight for us till now. And now there is only one of two outcomes. It is time for us to fight for our future."

Nephrite grinned ferally, "Its about time." After sharing a quick nod with Malachite, the brown-haired man teleported away.

Before he went to join the battle as well, the chief general saluted his lord, "I too shall fight."

Jaedite stared at the spot where his comrades teleported from and shook his head. "Unlike those two, I'm staying here. Someone needs to co-ordinate our forces. I'll be on Tac Com 1. Now you two kids get out there."

The former queen of the Negaverse looked at the blond man and smiled. "Thank you Jaedite."

With the last of the fighters gone, Jaedite turned his attention to the situation board. On the screen tiny dots waged war against one another. "Okay people," he directed towards the technicians at the room's edge, "let's see if we can get a few more over to sector three. I don't like the way those Youma are piling up."

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In sector three Sailor Mercury was watching a small group of Youma gather on top of one another. As the bodies pressed against each other, the separation between each began to fade. Meanwhile, her visor was detailing to her energy patterns and other data that disturbed her greatly. "Quick, attack on the left and right!"

Along with Zoecite, Mercury had been assigned two of the Paladins from the group. At her command they immediately went to work against the dread creature. The larger of the pair, a black man that made even Anderson seem minuscule by comparison, slung a massive cross from his back. From it launched three missiles in quick succession. A heartbeat later the missiles exploded into dozens of smaller munitions, all of which slammed into the congealing Youma.

The priest's companion, a nun of normal stature, lept over the giant and trailed behind the missiles. In her hands she carried a pair of daggers that gleamed in the half-light of the castle. Blurring like a chipmunk on cocaine, she danced around the Youma. Where her dagger passed, deep gouges appeared in its dark, bloated, skin; only adding to the damage that the priest had inflicted.

All the while, Mercury observed the beast's energy levels. With each attack upon its person, the levels, which had been increasing exponentially, dropped precipitously. Between the two Paladins, Mercury felt that the levels reached a point where it was safe for her to finish the writhing mass without causing a massive explosion in the process. "Quick! Get away!"

When the various individuals followed the blue-haired woman's order, Mercury started charging up her newest attack. As her energies reached their peak, Mercury called out, "Mercury, Ice Hurricane! Thrash!" Summoned by the powers of Mercury's Senshi, a mighty maelstrom hurtled toward the fel beast. Massive chunks of ice, which danced among the fierce winds, slammed into its thick hide over and over like some sort of insane sandblaster. The attack only lasted for about a minute, but when it finally faded there was nothing left of its target but a greasy smear embedded into a five-foot hole in the wall behind where the Youma once stood.

Everyone in the area stared at the hole with something akin to complete mental shutdown. Even Mercury was not immune to this condition. Since gaining the spell she had only used it once. On _that_ occasion, the Youma in question had been in the dead center of an empty intersection. When the attack hit it, the creature was basically vaporized with little damage to the surroundings. She had never expected such damage to be inflicted this time. Quite frankly it scared her.

The first to shake loosed from their surprise were the Paladins. "Come mon'," said the male as he slapped Zoecite's back heartily. "D'ere be more out d'ere."

With the outside stimulus, Zoecite managed to shake himself free, "R,right! Let's go!"

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When she had first forsaken the light to live as a child of the night Seras had been afraid that she would loose her humanity in the face of such darkness. And then Usagi came along. She straddled the line between light and dark with a grace that was inspiring. It showed Seras that she could be what her master wished her to become without sacrificing what she had been. With that realization, the Vampire woman lept head-long into the darkness that called out to her.

Now, as she tore into the flesh of the Youma, Seras wondered how she had ever turned this away. It was like that time the Valentine brothers invaded the London Hellsing HQ, only she was in total control. Maybe it was a worse condition, but Seras didn't care. In the back of her mind she could feel her human side watching dispassionately. It knew what these things were, what they had been created to do, and it had no problem letting the Vampire take charge for now. As far as she was concerned, it was like having a strong desire for chocolate; once you got some the urge went away.

Sometimes she would hold her Harkonnen under one arm and fire several high-explosive rounds into a Youma and delight in watching them practically vaporize the target. And then others she herself would explode into a ravenous horde of bats that seized their victim and ripped it to shreds. Once, on a lark, she even turned herself into mist and rushed down the foul creature's gullet. There, she reformed herself and tore it apart from the inside. Only once was enough to satiate her desire for such action, she may want to spill some blood but she didn't want to be drenched in it.

Seras' only companion on her campaign of slaughter was the violet-haired Senshi of Pluto. None of the others had been willing or able to accompany her. Despite all the things she had seen in her many years as guardian of the Gates of Time, Pluto was disgusted by the display before her. The few Youma that managed to get past were cleanly dispatched by a blast from her staff and she considered it a mercy. Sera's, leavings, on the hand, often required a Chronos Typhoon to clean up the mess and deliver the coup-de-grace.

"_I hope she get's this out of her system_," thought Pluto to herself. As soon as she made that silent wish, another Youma was violently converted into a gory cloud. "_And quickly_."

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If one were to look at Sailor Venus as she strode through the halls of Beryl's palace they would be hard pressed to say that it was the same woman that used to smile and wink at a particularly cute man she happened to cross by. There was a cold ruthlessness about her that seemed at odds to the old Venus. All those who opposed her, died. Beams of coherent light several orders of magnitude hotter than any produced on earth lased out to pierce the hide of her enemies.

As she executed yet another of the dread beasts, Venus felt none of the satisfaction that she felt that she should feel. For years she had secretly harbored feelings of hatred towards the creatures that had caused so many so much pain back in England. The blond woman dreamed on many occasion about how it would feel to reap bloody vengeance against those monsters. In all those dreams the act felt good, it felt right but on the battlefield all she felt was a great big nothing.

With a cry of, "Venus Love and Beauty Cascade!" a veritable shower of coherent light rained down around her. As Youma were cored by the burning death, the only satisfaction Venus derived from it was of the workman completing a routine job.

Paired with Venus was the eldest of the Paladins still fighting the good fight. The graying woman had seen a great many things, both in battle and life. So, it did not take much effort on her part to see what was bothering her companion. "Yer never gonna find what ya want in slaughter dear," she said with the distinct twang of an American southerner.

"What are you talking about," asked Venus angrily. Though she wasn't sure whether that ire was directed at the woman, or herself.

"I can see the hate in yer eyes. They wronged ya deeply child, but killing ain't gonna solve nothing."

Venus knew who she was madder at now. As she dodged a Youma and poured several thousand degrees of coherent light into it, the orange and white clad Senshi sneered at the older woman. "Let me guess, I should turn myself over to God, eh?" The grief councilors back in England had suggested that. She had wanted no part of that then, and she certainly didn't want one now.

The woman shook her head and she took a Youma's. "When the Lord comes a calln' yer not gonna need me, or anyone else, to be telln' you what ta do." With a flourish, she whipped her staff around and sliced into a different creature with the long silver blade that emerged from the end. "But yer gonna hafta give up the past if ya want to fight fer somethin' other than revenge."

Instead of calming her, like the woman probably intended, her words only served to enrage Venus that much further. Such was her fury that she punched a hole straight through one Youma and vaporized the one behind it. "How dare you! Someone has to avenge them!"

"Yer not after that ya silly girl! Yer just telln' yerself that while ya really after vengeance! If yer really about love and justice then get yer head out of yer ass and act like it!"

She wanted to refute her associate's words but Venus knew that she couldn't. She vividly remembered shooting Usagi in the face with holy water and feeling righteous in her cause. Did that dark momentary burst of glee that she felt when her friend cried out in pain make her as worse as those she hunted? Venus wasn't sure as to the answer to that question, and that thought, more than any, worried her.

In spite of her current enterprise as a death dealer, the Paladin had entered the church to heal her fellow man. The elevation of humanity from its baser nature was a goal that she held near and dear to her heart. So to see the expression on Venus' face heartened her. Now at least the girl was thinking about her situation instead of just hating.

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Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing stood solemnly before one of the few unbarred windows in Hellsing's Japanese outpost. She would have probably, if asked, said that she had picked this room solely because of the window. In her heart of hearts though she knew that to be a lie. This particular room had no portrait of her father, or any of the other illustrious members of her family, in it. The newest head of the family could not bear the weight of their gazes on this day.

Under her stewardship, Integra had lead her organization half-way across the planet in order to track down threats to her country. Powers and principalities had stood in her way and she had ground them all into the dirt. She had even gone against her own country so as to better serve it. And yet, despite all that, she felt like a failure.

Right now, several thousand miles away and in another dimension, the final battle against the freak vampires was taking place and she was not there. Oh sure, she had planned to be there, in the thick of things. When she had boarded the plane to leave her beloved England Integra had made a vow to personally be there when the threat was finished. And she had held onto that vow once she reached Japan. Like so many things though, that all changed once she met Usagi.

Usagi's world was one of magic kingdoms and ancient battles. In her conflicts the fate of not just Japan, but the whole world lay in the balance. The unassuming blond woman wielded power and compassion to rival the Lord's own. Integra, since arriving in Japan, had seen battles of such destruction that it put the final confrontation with Incognito to shame. Usagi had even managed to cow Anderson, something that had seemed impossible a short while ago.

And now she was out there. Her and her tiny band of allies were fighting the final battle in a war so old that it made the Hellsing family's own crusade look like a childish squabble. Somewhere, out there, the fate of the world was being determined by a woman not much younger than herself. Yet where was the proud Integra? Was she out there fighting the good fight? Or was she cowering in a room, too ashamed to even look her ancestors in the face? At that moment she felt no better than those quivering simpletons in the Roundtable, and she hated every moment of it.

Before she could chastise herself any further, the door behind her opened. As soon as she heard the door move Integra knew who opened it and their state of mind. For a man who could slaughter an entire legion and not bat an eye, Walter Dornez could scream at the top of his lungs through the way he opened a door. Right now the former assassin was worried about his mistress but was too polite to actually say something.

"Do you care for any tea, Sir Integra?"

Ah, it was astounding how such an innocuous question held within it a wealth of subtext. "Thank you, but no." Though silence followed her statement, Integra felt as if she was being deafened. "I could have gone," she said to break apart the silence.

"Yes ma'am."

For a long moment, Integra considered just letting the unspoken question die away but eventually she chose against it. She could have, had she desired it, used the excuse of preserving the Hellsing line. She had cousins of course, two souls a fair sight younger than Integra. Her uncle may have been a duplicitous bastard, but he did his duty to preserve the family line. Unfortunately, even if they possessed the majority in age, their dedication and inclination mean that they were ill-suited to defend queen and country. The real reason was so much simpler though.

"I would have been useless, Walter. You have seen the videos of Usagi and her cohorts, am I right?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Against such forces, my presence would have been a liability. I can not shoot bolts of lightning, or command the elements like they can. My only possible contribution would have been an extra gun. And what is an extra firearm in all that power. I could do nothing . . . "

Walter let his master speak until he felt that she had reached a point where it was proper for him to step in. "If you would not think it impertinent of me, I would like to say something, Sir Integra."

Integra turned to look at her butler. Pearls of wisdom from the man were unheard of, at least during his employment as her servant. So it was with great interest that she said, "Go ahead."

"As you well know, I have served in many a military establishment in my years. In that time I have witnessed many different types of leaders both astounding and astonishingly bad. I have witnessed men of great courage take up arms to crest a hill leading their men. And I have seen men of heavy conscious agonize by the radio as reports of dead roll it. For the leader, the easiest choice is always to go and fight because the chances are high that you will die. Responsibility though is the terrible burden that all truly great leaders must carry. So do not fret Sir Integra, for I truly believe that you are among the greatest of leaders it has been my honor to serve."

The Hellsing heir stared at Walter with undisguised shock. Other than briefings, she had never heard him speak at such length. Certainly the passion he exhibited was unheard of. "T,thank you." Integra wanted to say more but for the first time that she could remember, no words came.

"Would you like some tea ma'am?"

Standing to her full height, with the power of the Hellsing family coursing once again through her veins, Integra looked at her employee. "That sounds excellent Walter."

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Acting quickly, Sailor Moon ducked under a swipe from a Youma's claw. As it staggered to turn and slaughter the insect that dared oppose it, Moon burned a hole in the creature with her magic. Upon entering the Negaverse each team took an avenue by which to attack. She chose the path that headed straight toward her target, Metalia. The last time she was in the place she was scared little girl after her kidnapped prince. Now this semi-dark realm held no fear for her. Instead, it was she who sowed the fear.

And why shouldn't she? Sailor Moon lead into battle an army the likes of which no one in the Moon Kingdom had ever conceived. Vampires, Paladins, Senshi and the rest waded into the ranks of the psudo-undead Youma with gleeful abandon. Soon they were joined by the palace guard, who took great pleasure at throwing off the chains of their oppressors.

It was not too long after the start of the assault that Beryl appeared near the Senshi's leader. As soon as she laid eyes upon the former queen a dark, petty, portion of Sailor Moon's soul, possibly gained as a result of her becoming a Vampire, urged her to consign the woman to oblivion. Her better angels though showed Moon a woman who had been punished in ways she could never comprehend. So, after a quick nod, the blond moved on to the next Youma.

In the early waves, the Youma fell with great alacrity. Basically they just ran headlong into the enemy death cannons. A battle strategy that wins you points in wars where men were lead by people that had more crust than echelons in their uppers. As time passed their tactics became more and more complex and vicious, forcing the forces of light to work smarter. Things got so rough that the fighters that normally fought at range were forced to get in close and hit along with casting spells.

While she was struggling to keep a Youma from using its claws to eviscerate her Beryl glanced over at Sailor Moon. Serenity's heir was sweaty, covered in blood, grime, and evaporating Youma ichor. The part of the former queen that still held a residual amount of animosity towards the aloofness of the Serenitys felt a measure of satisfaction at seeing one of that family being so dirty. Even the last queen, in the fiercest moments of combat, never actually got any signs of battle on her person; as if she were too good for even dirt.

As she manhandled one of the Youma's onto its back, Sailor Moon caught Beryl's gaze. "Do you think Metalia knows about you helping us," she asked conversationally as she landed a killing blow.

A dark chuckle echoed throughout the hall where they fought the Youma. "Oh I do hope so. These things are only just becoming interesting." It was Alucard, obviously, but there was a certain quality to his voice that forced all fighting to stop as the combatants looked to find him.

But a moment later, one of the armored behemoths began to shudder violently. Blood and other vital fluids began pouring from every orifice as a terrible scream pierced the air. The tormented creature began to expand in various places. To everyone else, it was as if there was something inside it trying to get out. Some of the more kindhearted souls who witnessed this terror wished for the Youma's pain to end. They were soon retracting their wishes when the writhing mass exploded into a gory, insect leaden, mess.

Splattered all across the room was bits of flesh that had once been the Youma. Interspersed between the pieces were various types of the most vile insects imaginable; all of which were already moving back towards the former creature. Before the horrified eyes of the assembled masses, the insects piled on one another to form the shape of a human being. From them the No-Life King stepped out, his face split wide with a manic grin.

"Isn't this glorious," he exclaimed with an almost orgasmic glee. "The power of this place! I could truly be king here." For just a moment Alucard's form blinked and instead of a man in a red coat and hat, there was a massive king, the kind of which used to rule vast stretches of land with an iron fist. And in the next he returned to his customary attire. But even this was different, for his gloves lacked their runes and were just plain white.

One of the Youma fell down to the ground in four pieces and revealed a scowling Anderson. "Quit that, vampire," he roared. Covering the distance between himself and the maddened vampire, "This isn't the time for yer delusions, fiend."

"You were more interesting when you were with Iscariot."

As Moon watched the old foes argue, time seemed to slow down. One of the Youma that had been stationary during Alucard's entrance was now in motion. Its claw was raised and poised to strike down the angry Paladin. The blond Senshi ran forward, her arm outstretched in warning, yet for some reason her voice simply refused to work. Even her magic seemed to fail her in her time of need.

With lightning fast speed, the claw slammed into the giant frame of Anderson; spinning him around in a fountain of blood. As she ran forward toward the man, Sailor Moon felt his dismembered arm fly past her head. The Paladin was already crumpled on the ground by the time she reached him. In a distant fashion Moon felt a shot from Beryl pass overhead but she paid in no mind. All of her focus was on the wound and the vital crimson liquid that poured from it.

For several vital seconds Sailor Moon's brain just sort of shut down. It was one thing to see this level of damage on some random person in the middle of the street, it was quite different when it was someone you knew. Eventually though, she regained the use of her faculties and summoned the Silver Crystal. Before she could use it though an arm grabbed her's.

"Wait," exclaimed Beryl. "You can't do that!"

"Why?"

"You are the only one with any hope of stopping Metalia. If you heal him then you could doom us all."

She wanted to disagree with the woman. Wanted to say that it was not worth winning if everyone didn't make it. And a few short years ago she would have. Sailor Moon would have poured all her energy into Anderson and then, when the time came to kill Metalia she would've just put her all into it and hopefully came back at the end. That was then, and now she knew that she couldn't go around acting like that, not with the fate of the world in her hands.

Did that kind of thought come with age? Or was it the product of her transformation into a Vampire. Whatever the answer, it was chased away by the wounded Paladin.

"Go," he muttered as blood dribbled from his mouth.

"But . . ."

"Just go. Ah'll be fine."

The blond-haired woman could see that he was putting on a brave face for her sake. With the injuries he had sustained Anderson would be dead in another few minutes. "O,okay. I'll be back soon."

Alucard stepped forward. "I will stay with him. None of these monstrosities will come near him."

Sailor Moon gently laid the former Iscariot agent on the floor before standing. "Thank you."

Beryl, while understanding that some things take time, still was mindful of the time. "We need to get going!"

"R,right," said Moon with increasing determination. "Let's go."

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The two men, well one man and one man-shaped creature from the pit, stayed where they had been left. When Moon and the others vanished from view Alucard kicked the fallen Paladin in the side. "Get up."

Now that everyone was gone, Alexander turned the full force of his glare towards the troublesome beast. "Ye didn't have to kick me so hard," he grumbled as he stood. "Ye mind handing me ma arm? Ah don't really want to spend a week re-regrowing another new one."

A dark tendril slithered out from Alucard across to the room where it grabbed the discarded appendage. "Yes," he chuckled darkly, "I imagine that such a thing would get irksome after a while." He watched the blond man push the arm against the ragged wound. It was interesting, in a distant fashion, to see the flesh join together at an accelerated rate. "I wonder, why did you make such a transparent ploy to stay behind?"

He looked away, "For whit is tae come, Ah am not needed. Whit about ye though? Ah though ye wanted to be there."

"I have already faced my own god. It is time for Usagi to face her own. And there was still more of these damn freaks to slaughter." The last bit was spoken with an almost greedy tone.

Anderson's grin was almost as feral. "Then lets get going."

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When they had first entered the palace proper, Mercury had sent a schematic of the place to everyone' communicators. It wasn't as good as some of the new gps units that the upper crust were getting installed in their cars, but it was certainly better than the blind stumbling about that they had to face the first time they visited the dark fortress.

At the time, it had been decided that Sailor Moon would take the shortest, and most direct, route to Metalia's chamber. That was the real threat that they had to contend with. With Beryl's help, the route was made even shorter; going through sub-corridors and back channels that Mercury's computer could not see. So, not long after her group left Alucard and Anderson behind, Moon and the others arrived at the core.

It was a sphere of writhing darkness. Now darkness was nothing new for Sailor Moon, with a light as bright as her's the dark becomes equally as black. When Alucard wished it, he could summon a darkness which could blot out the sun. However dark he made the world though, there was always something about it that felt like it had a place in the world. Sure, it could make a person scream with unholy terror, but so do spiders. Metalia's was a different beast altogether. There was nothing about her that said to the observer, "Yes, I may be that shadow from your deepest nightmares, but at least you know that some light will send me running." It was greedy and had a sickly aura that spoke of being an intruder to this universe.

For a moment or two it chilled Sailor Moon's soul to look at the swirling blackness. Soon enough, she regained her metal and began walking towards the core.

"Stop!" The voice belonged to Sailor Mars who had, not a moment ago, entered to chamber.

Moon turned to look her raven-haired friend in the eye. There she could see all the fears and anxiety harbored by the woman. "She's waiting for me. I have to do this, you know that Rei."

"But you'll die!" Even as she said it, Mars knew that it was a lame, but she wasn't going to let her friend to go without a fight.

She smiled at the Senshi of fire. "I've been dead so many times that I should't exist. What's one more time?"

"You're mom never came back though." Mars was starting to sound desperate now.

Her smile faded a bit, "And if the same thing happens to me, then I name you my heir. I'm sure that you'll do a great job."

"But . . ."

Sailor Moon stepped close to her friend. "I know. And while I don't know how I feel yet, I can give you this." Before anyone could say a thing, she darted forward and captured Mars's lips in her own.

It was different, kissing another woman. With Mamoru, she was always looking up. Now though, she was dead even with her partner. And that was what it felt like, a partnership. "_I could get used to this_," she thought. As Mars ground herself into the embrace, Sailor Moon found herself having an increasingly difficult time extricating from the embrace. Eventually, she pulled together enough will to gently push the woman away. "Goodbye."

With that one final act, the blond heroine turned and dove into the dark mass before anyone could stop her.

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Usagi slipped into the darkness of Metalia's core with a modicum of effort. The ease of her entry only re-enforced her notion that the dark god was waiting for her arrival. But while the she may have been as accommodating to allow her foe into the dark core of her being, Metalia became a much nastier host on the inside. Tendrils of dark power whipped at the golden-haired woman. Each malignant finger groped at her frame desperately, seeking an avenue through which the whelp could be drug down into the same soulless place that the creature called home.

The darkness could find no purchase upon Usagi's person though. From every poor of her being shown a brilliant light. Each tendril, upon touching that soul stirring radiance, shrieked as if it had been dipped in the greatest of acids. Usagi smiled at their pain, something new for her. So many were wronged by Metalia. So many deaths, whole worlds had been laid low by the being around her. It was about time that it experienced some of their pain, that it knew what it was like to be a victim. Before, such a thought was beyond the one called Sailor Moon. Now though, she had been touched by evil and while she retained her light, no one ever remained the same after such an experience.

Seeing that the direct approach was not working against her foe, Metalia tried a new trick. Flexing her mental muscles, the inner core of the creature gave way to a bleak and barren landscape. Instantly the temperature in all directions dropped to well below zero. Great sheets of ice thrust up from the earth, as if it was pushed by a great hand. Suddenly a mighty wind rushed across the landscape, carrying with it tiny flecks of snow that burned against the skin like fire.

With a grimace, Usagi braced herself against the chilling wind. As much as the environment conspired to freeze her solid, it was the memory of the place which stopped her heart. She knew it so well, every flake of snow, every sound, every smell, every sensation. Sailor Moon had been there before, a thousand million times. In all of her worst nightmares, she had walked this path and each time before it had ended with her death.

"Really Metalia! Do you think that this is going to scare me into stopping?"

"And why shouldn't it," asked a voice. It was the same as Beryl's, but Beryl of a lifetime ago. Far ahead, the darkness contorted and moved to form itself into the likeness of the dark queen at the moment that should have been her triumph.

"Because I've been here before," announced Usagi defiantly. From beneath her tiara, the sigil of the Serenity line shined brighter and brighter until it vaporized the metal. "I've been here so many times that it doesn't matter any more." The long streamers of her uniform began to grow insubstantial, pieces of material gently tearing loose on the wind. "It doesn't scare me. You don't scare me!" Soon, all that was left was the white, shaped, leather that comprised the core of her armor. And then even that was blown away, lost to the currents of air.

The silky voice laughed at the naked woman, "Of course you are. You little primates are terrified of everything. Just look at yourself, too scared to maintain even a paltry defense."

"I don't need to be Sailor Moon any more, Metalia." The broach, which represented her mantle as Senshi, crumbled apart; joining the rest of her uniform in the ever blowing winds of change. At the center of Usagi's chest, pulsing with a gentle warmth in time to her own heart, was the Silver Crystal. "I know who I am now." Across her lithe form, a long graceful dress materialized into being. " And I know what to do." The snow of Metalia's construct began to swirl around Usagi's head. Slowly they joined together into one glowing ring of the brightest silver; a crown for a new queen.

The dark being did not like what she was seeing. The maggot should be gibbering in terror at the prospect of her imminent demise. Instead, she seemed to be drawing strength from it. "Do you think you can kill me? You've tried before and failed. Even your mother could not stop my reign forever. You have no hope of defeating me!" In an attempt to assuage her mounting worry, the goddess launched several spheres of darkness at her opponent.

Darkness, even that of Metallia, must give way to light. So, when the energy hit its target, it was pulled in; transformed into fuel for a greater transformation already underway.

Usagi reached out with her hand, and once again the snow answered her call. As if it were pouring down into some great mold, the white flakes spun themselves into a regal staff, a symbol of office for the newly crowned monarch. "You're right." From every corner of the cosmos, all of reality felt the coming of the queen.

"I was too weak before." Deep down, everything heard her words, everyone felt her power.

"I was too blinded by the light to see the way out." Every soul, no matter how grand or how meek, knew what was being asked of them. The universe itself, every corner of creation, was right there in that dark place with Usagi.

"But now I can see." Unlike any of her line, all the way back to the very first Serenity, Usagi saw the duality of the universe. The delicate balance of good and evil, light and dark, order and chaos, red and blue, all of it was open to her. And in that knowledge, came a way out of the cycle. A way to end this war, not for a hundred years, or a thousand, but forever.

"And what exactly do you see," sneered Metalia. While she had managed to keep her voice dripping with disdain, inside the creature was terrified. Something was pulling her in. The shell of her core, that which had once protected her from even the greatest of threats, was now an impenetrable barrier. Her refuge was now her prison.

With a serene smile, Usagi raised her arms as if she were welcoming a lover. "If you can't destroy evil, embrace it."

The winds that had once been buffeting her opponent turned on Metalia with a vengeance. Stronger and stronger did the gail blow. Just as she thought that she could handle the gusts coming in from one direction, a new swell hit her from another side. Bit by bit, she felt herself being tugged apart by their fury. Even her terror was no match for their force, for the winds soothed even as they continued with their work. All she could do is stare, wide-eyed, at the woman who was doing so much with so little force.

After taking from the dark being, the winds carried their load outwards to every portion of the universe. No corner went untouched by their soft caress as they left their well cared package. Had someone else been there, the sight would have stunned them with its beauty and majesty. As it was, only Usagi, as the winds moved around her, wept silent tears.

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Since Metalia was no longer there to support the construct, the ice and the storms all faded away to reveal the worried faces of all those who stood beside her through thick and thin. For a moment, everyone was in awe of the changed appearance of their friend, but at some unspoken signal, most ran towards Usagi and embraced her merrily. Laughter and tears abound at the knowledge that the fight was over and they had won. Finally, one of the group managed to speak.

"How did you do it Usagi?" Ever the calm one, it was Setsuna who regained her composure the quickest.

"She wanted the universe, so I gave her to it," she said softly.

"You mean you didn't kill her," asked a wide eyed Ami.

The queenly woman shook her head with a smile. "No, you can't destroy evil. Metalia was right about that. My mother tried, and she doomed all of the solar system. There was no way I could do that." Over the heads of her friends, she could see Alucard at the edge of the room. "I realized something they would have never even thought of; a little evil in the world can be a good thing. It makes us think, to strive to make the world better."

Still, the Inners were not completely convinced. They had already died twice because of that thing, and they were not about to let the matter rest until it was certainly gone. From tight grip on Usagi's arm Rei asked, "Are you sure she can't come back?"

From the shadows, Alucard's dark laughter echoed out. "You fool. Can you even understand what she is talking about?"

All eyes turned to the No-Life King. In their depths incomprehension and irritation shined. "Well obviously we don't," said Haruka carefully.

"She's still here," said Seras. "Metalia will never be gone. But she is now in all of us. A little darkness to balance out the light.

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And Seras Victoria was right. In the thousand years since the final battle against Metalia not a single soul suffered as a result of the long vanquished creature. There was no great ice to chill the hearts of man. With the help of Beryl's people, individuals of great strength and courage, humanity returned to the stars. Mankind traveled beyond their pale blue dot and brought with them a drive to discover and to share.

Through it all, humanity had a shepherd. For that was what man truly needed. In the blackest of nights, she fought evil. She saw to it that love did win to see the daylight. When a real fight came a calling, she stood fast, never running, never submitting.

She was the one.

She was Sailor Moon.

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Author's Notes: And so, after nearly six years of work, we have reached the end of this story. No-life Queen started as a lark, a result of watching too much Hellsing. When I started all I knew was that I was going to turn Usagi into a vampire. I certainly never had any clue as to where the story was going to end up. That definitely led to some problems for me along the way. Often I had to stop and ask, "Okay now what?" Certain issues that arose because of Umino and Naru have helped me in the writing of my other stories though. I guess that it was those problems that made the writing of this hard. Other stories, with more wizbangery, drew away my attention. But I never stopped working on it.

This chapter in particular kept going on and on. I kept wondering when I'd get to the battle but there were so many things that needed to be talked about. And, to be frank, I suck at battle scenes. I mean, I've read some people's fight scenes and they spend five pages on a three second skirmish. That's bloody insane. Reading should be as much about the reader's imagination as it is what is written. Using that as a guide, I try to write just enough for you to know what is happening, but no much that you have to stop to figure it all out.

For a while, I had toyed with the idea of doing a full up epilogue filled with information about where everyone was. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that I didn't really know where they would be; nor did I really care to come up with it. So I will let you, dear reader, imagine where are heroes are a thousand years to come.

As I said, this was the hardest so far to write, but I am glad to see it finished to a point where I am satisfied with it. Now, I can allow myself to turn to my other works and get some time done on them. I hope you have enjoyed this story, I look forward to entertaining you further in the days and years to come.

Chaos Lord

King of the Wicker People.


End file.
